How Will the New Coalition Plans Impact You Personally?

The coalition agreement, compiled by the four collaborating parties over the span of five months, spans 26 pages and encapsulates what the new partners deem to be the primary strategy, aptly titled “Hoop, lef en trots” (hope, guts, and pride).

While some sections of the document are sparse on details, others delve into intricate matters such as agricultural waste management. But how will these government plans directly impact individuals?

Here’s a breakdown of key measures that will affect both “foreigners” residing in the Netherlands and local residents:

Rules Impacting Internationals

1. Stricter regulations will be implemented for admitting non-EU nationals on highly-skilled migrant visas.
2. Limits on foreign student enrollment will be enforced through increased availability of Dutch courses, setting maximum numbers for foreign students, and raising university fees for non-EU students.
3. Obtaining Dutch grants will be more challenging for EU students.
4. Understanding of the Holocaust will be integrated into the integration process.
5. Dutch citizenship will only be attainable after 10 years, and individuals may need to renounce their foreign nationality to do so.
6. Meeting at least Level B1 proficiency will become the standard language requirement for naturalization.

Financial Changes

1. The healthcare own-risk contribution will be reduced by half to €165 starting from 2027.
2. Income tax rates will be lowered, potentially through the introduction of a new income tax bracket.
3. Initiatives will be introduced to promote the use of permanent employment contracts.
4. Subsidized childcare will become more accessible.
5. Homeowners with solar panels will lose the ability to deduct energy fed back into the grid from their energy bills starting 2027.
6. Unemployment benefits (WW) duration will be reduced from two years to 18 months.
7. No alterations are planned for mortgage tax relief, and there will be a cap on local tax hikes for homeowners.
8. VAT on hotel stays will return to 21%, while VAT on theater and museum tickets will also increase to 21%, among other tax adjustments.

Other Policy Changes

1. Educational practices must demonstrate effectiveness and political neutrality.
2. Funding for establishing broad academic streams in secondary education will be discontinued.
3. English usage at universities and colleges will be scaled back.
4. Efforts will be made to standardize a speed limit of 130 kph on roads where feasible.
5. Heat pump installation in private residences will not be mandatory, and electric car subsidies will be terminated by 2025.
6. Measures will be implemented to encourage the development of more rental properties and support private landlords.
7. New legal frameworks will be introduced to facilitate the subdivision of existing homes into apartments, promote multi-generational living and flat-sharing, and repurpose existing structures.