A global tax on the rich: “Prevent them from moving to other countries”

Therefore, the parties do not come up with a plan on their own. Instead, they put forward a motion asking the responsible foreign minister, Van Rij, to investigate such a global tax. “What concerns us is that wealthy individuals are trying to avoid paying their fair share through various establishments for other countries,” Van Eck continues. “We think it's important that everyone makes a contribution and that's why we also introduce a global tax.”

The plan is not concrete yet. MP VVD also does not want to make any statements about tax percentages. “That will take on a life of its own,” says Van Eck.

“The Netherlands is among the best in the world”

However, Rens van Tilburg, director of an academic research centre, views this proposal positively. “It is often said that we cannot do anything about it, because these rich people can still move to other countries. For this reason, it is good that we can solve this problem all over the world.”

But according to Van Tilburg, it should not stop there. Because not only around the world, but also in the Netherlands, the gap between rich and poor has widened in recent years. “We in the Netherlands are among the best in the world when it comes to inequality,” says van Tilburg. “So it's good to start with this at the international level, but it's also important that the next government also works to remove the inequalities in the Dutch system.”

Delay tactic?

Then the policy itself; Is there a majority in favor of the VVD and NSC proposal? Yes, thinks the journalist from Financieel Dagblad, Martine Walczak. “If this doesn't happen, it's because other parties think it doesn't go far enough,” she says. Other parties, such as the Socialist Party, believe that this inequality should be eliminated in the Netherlands. “If you look at the electoral data, other parties, like the Party for Freedom and GL-PvdA, also think so. They will even have a parliamentary majority.” According to Wolczak, you can also see this plan as a way to slow down that domestic discussion, since the VVD is not in favor of higher taxes in the Netherlands.

For Omroep Gelderland's editor-in-chief, Sandrina Hadring, the word “solidarity” comes to mind in this discussion. “We all have to pay taxes. Very nice things happen with it.”