Jetten says Dutch coalition "must make a very serious fresh start" to function better

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten has called an urgent meeting with senior figures from his two coalition partners to ease tensions in the three-party minority government, less than nine months into a four-year mandate. The dispute followed a narrow vote on a tax package: lawmakers from Jetten’s centrist D66 and the centre-right CDA backed amendments by centre-left opposition parties PRO and Volt, while the right-wing VVD opposed the plan. VVD parliamentary leader Ruben Brekelmans told reporters the partners’ move was troubling and described a sharp leftward shift that he said would hurt the economy, business and the country. Jetten missed a European leaders’ summit in Ireland to attend Thursday’s debate, then arranged to meet his CDA and VVD vice premiers to keep the coalition together. The episode comes amid fragmented Dutch politics and weakened public confidence.