The Dutch Socialist Party (SP) revealed its draft election programme today; the manifesto calls for a package of one-time government investments to stimulate the economy and calls for the budget deficit to be brought below 3 percent by 2015.

Party members will discuss the draft election platform over the coming weeks and vote on a definitive version on 30 June. The SP says it is opposed to financial measures designed to "satisfy eurocrats in Brussels." However, the party does want the Netherlands and other Northern European countries to develop joint programmes to tackle unemployment and stimulate the economy.

The party wants The Hague to boost the economy and create jobs by bringing forward planned maintenance on roads, railways, schools and dikes.

The draft election programme also calls for an end to free-market competition in health care, increased health insurance contributions for the highest earners and a new tax bracket of 65 percent for people earning above €150,000. The party also plans to tackle the mortgage tax rebate system: mortgages of over €350,000 will not be eligible for tax rebates and a limit of 42 percent will be set for mortgages under that amount.

The SP is also opposed to the recent value-added tax increase and the abolition of tax-free status for travel costs. The party is in favour of maintaining dismissal protection and the duration of unemployment benefits.
 

© Radio Netherlands Worldwide
(jric)