D66 leaves education budget negotiations

D66, CDA, JA21, ChristenUnie and SGP are threatening to vote against the education budget in the Senate if the cabinet does not reduce its two-billion-euros in austerity measures by 1.3 billion euros. Yesterday, the coalition parties made a counteroffer of 650 million euros, but D66 does not think that goes far enough. That's why the party is no longer participating in the negotiations.

Party leader Rob Jetten is glad that the fine for students who take longer to graduate is being scrapped, according to the newspaper AD. "But we are committed to securing a good salary for teachers, more money for vocational education, and more money for young scientists and groundbreaking research. We see no room to obtain that."

According to public broadcaster NOS, the remaining four parties proposed to reduce the budget cuts by 800 million euros. The vote on the budget was scheduled for Thursday, December 5, at 1:00 pm, but all the uncertainty caused it to be postponed. o'clock. 

Left-wing opposition parties demanded at first that all austerity measures be taken off the table, which is what trade unions, student unions, action groups and higher education institutions are calling for. “We will continue to protest if that doesn't happen,” a joint statement reads.