International

SP leader Emile Roemer outlines the left opposition’s alternatives to the new government’s policies.

Politics is a matter of making choices. The SP’s choices are clear. We choose people. Cooperation, in place of everyone for his- or herself. For a country in which the government is at your side, with health care which doesn’t require you to pay a personal contribution, for higher wages and affordable housing.

The new government is making different choices. They opt for multinationals, dearer grocery bills for us and free gifts for investors. And all of this at a time when in recent years many people have been hit hard by the political elite, seeing their sense of security dwindle away, the pension age raised and their purchasing power barely increase.

Now things have improved economically we must restore security and build up the public sector. We’ll work with anyone who supports our proposals for a more humane and more social Netherlands. That’s why we’re working today with the Labour Party (PvdA) and the Green Left to show that other choices are possible.

For people before multinationals.  Not for the few, but for each other.

People before multinationals
A joint proposal from the Green Left, SP and Labour Party

This is the moment to opt for investments in our society and in a secure existence for every Dutch person; to choose in favour of teachers, nurses and police officers; in favour of people who are ill or unable to work normally because of a disability; of an ambitious climate policy; to opt for more affordable housing. That’s why the Green Left, SP and Labour Party are today presenting a common proposal with six other choices for the future of the Netherlands. A choice for people, not for multinationals.

1. People before multinationals
   We choose policies which will not increase your daily grocery bill. We will pay for these policies by not lowering taxes on the profits of multinational corporations.
2. Teachers, police officers and nurses before investors and banks
   We choose to invest in people who do important work for us all, rather than abolishing the tax on dividends for foreign shareholders. Teachers, nurses, police officers, soldiers, all deserve higher wages. In addition we want to see additional investment in neighbourhood healthcare, which will be paid for via an increase in tax on banks.
3. No more bills for healthcare to be paid by people when they’re ill
   We will completely abolish the “own-risk” payment (a contribution from the patient made at point of care). This will be paid for via abolition of the flat-rate tax, which benefits primarily those on high incomes. 
4. Share the benefits of progress fairly
   We will opt not to make savings at the expense of people whose ability to work is limited by a disability; to make it possible to stop working earlier. We will opt for insurance against such a disability and a pension for self-employed people in one-person businesses. We will pay for all of this by demanding additional tax payments from millionaires.
5. A fair and ambitious climate policy
   We will opt for a fair and ambitious climate policy. Money for sustainable energy must not be used for carbon storage. Major corporations will pay more for their emissions, rather than the costs being met by ordinary Dutch people via their energy bills. Coal-fired power stations will be closed down, and gas-drilling will be limited to 12 billion cubic metres, half the current recommended level.
6. Build, build, build
   We opt for more affordable rental accommodation. Everyone should be able to count on sound housing in a neighbourhood where children can play outside. We will invest in building and in the renovation of housing.