Cabinet hopeful of securing majority for capital gains tax plan

Cabinet officials in the Netherlands are working towards passing a capital gains tax plan through both parliamentary houses. Three right-wing opposition parties, JA21, BBB, and SGP, have agreed to support the measure, overcoming objections from other opposition parties and criticism from the Council of State. However, coalition parties D66 and CDA still have reservations about the reform, with D66's Henk-Jan Oosterhuis describing it as a "creative explanation of the budget rules" and CDA's Inge van Dijk admitting it is "not pretty."

The left-wing opposition party Pro's Luc Stultiens went further, accusing the coalition parties of writing a "blank cheque for €17 billion to the wealthy." The cabinet needs support from one more party in the Senate to secure a majority in the lower house. The pensioners' party 50Plus is seen as the most likely candidate to provide this support, despite MP Corrie van Brenk's reservations.

The reform would replace the current system of taxing investments and savings annually with a tax levied when assets are sold. This transition is estimated to create a €10 billion budget gap in the short term, and the Council of State has criticized the timing of the new tax, suggesting it starts in 2029 to avoid administrative problems.