Heinen promises to respect "no" vote on defence debt spending

Finance minister Eelco Heinen has said the vote in parliament against the European Union’s proposed €800 million rearmament plan will be included in discussions on how to fund the extra military spending. “The cabinet has taken note of the Eerdmans motion relating to the chairman of the European Commission’s ideas for strengthening European defence,” it said. It say we are not sending extra taxpayers’ money to other countries, that we are maintaining the budget rules, and that debt sustainability is important.” Frans Timmermans, leader of the opposition GroenLinks-PvdA alliance, said the three coalition partners had “thrown the prime minister under the bus,” while former defence minister Kajsa Ollongren told Nieuwsuur: “This is very bad for the Netherlands’ position internationally and in Europe.” Ollongren said: “The Netherlands has already voted for the plan, but now the other countries are hearing that the Dutch parliament has turned against it, which will raise the question: does the Netherlands want this or not?” “Frugal” coalition Member states will be able to raise an extra €650 million in military spending if Von der Leyen’s idea of raising the budget deficit threshold to 4.5% of GDP is endorsed by finance ministers. “I understand those concerns very well, but that’s not what was being voted on.” VVD leader Dilan Yesilgöz said her party backed the ReArm Europe plan despite its misgivings about the use of debt funding.