The House of Representatives begins a new parliamentary year

One of the most important topics on next week’s parliamentary agenda is scheduled for Wednesday. Then there is a debate about the one-off compensation for high energy bills that was already promised in March. This debate will also be seized by critical opposition MPs who believe that the government should do even more this year to strengthen citizens’ purchasing power.

Due to high prices, households have less to spend and a group of almost 1.3 million Dutch people are at risk of falling below the poverty line. The cabinet says it is virtually impossible this year to take further steps to support people financially. The cabinet does not want to announce what will be done next year the Prinsjesdag for two weeks. Sources report that around 15 billion euros will be earmarked for tax relief in 2023.

No debate is scheduled during recessions. However, the House can choose to return from recess, as happened this summer in response to Wopke Hoekstra’s interview with the AD, in which the CDA leader and Deputy Prime Minister advocated an adjustment of the nitrogen policy.

It is not expected that the almost two months of summer vacation will be spent entirely on vacation. Deputies have made working visits, studied substantive issues and attended party meetings, they like to point out. The public hearings of the parliamentary inquiry into gas extraction in Groningen have also been going on for more than a week.

The next recess period will be the last week of October. The Senate’s summer recess began just over a week later and didn’t end until Monday.