Outgoing PM seeks deal on EU budget cut

tHE caretaker premier of the Dutch parliament yesterday appealed to MPs to help him deliver painful budget cuts rather than let the country drift in political limbo until new elections.

Speaking for the first time since he tendered his resignation on Monday, Mark Rutte said the Netherlands has no time to waste.

“I stand here in the hope that parties in this chamber are prepared… to work with the cabinet to do what is necessary to pull the Netherlands through these difficult economic times in a responsible way,” he told MPs.

Mr Rutte’s 18-month old conservative coalition government collapsed following an split with Geert Wilders’ populist Freedom Party, after it failed to reach a deal on cutting its own budget deficit to meet European Union limits it had demanded of other countries.

The question facing party leaders will be what budget statement they can allow Mr Rutte to deliver to Brussels by 30 April, a deadline for submitting a preliminary 2013 statement. The note must explain how the Netherlands plans to bring its projected 4.6 per cent deficit below the 3 per cent EU limit.

Parliament must also now pick a date for new elections, the fifth in ten years.

Several opposition leaders rejected Mr Rutte’s appeal for help in getting up to €16 billion in savings. “I understand you have to bring finances in order but you cannot cut rigorously because it hurts the economy and people. Three per cent is not feasible,” socialist leader Emile Roemer said.

“The target exists with the addition that you don’t need to comply if there are exceptional circumstances in the economy,” said Diederik Samson, leader of Labour, the largest opposition party.