According to party leaders Rob Jetten (D66) and Henri Bontenbal (CDA), they have drafted a substantive and ambitious agenda together. Informateur Sybrand Buma will continue discussions with other parties.

Jetten sees the document as an outstretched hand. It is “by no means a final product, but a beginning,” he emphasized during Tuesday evening’s press conference. With their agreements, the CDA and D66 want to show that it’s possible to work together in good harmony, Bontenbal said. The two parties want to practice politics differently from how it has been done in recent years: “Constructively, respectfully, and focused on substance.”

Students

The preliminary agreement includes nothing about student financial aid. D66 would actually like to increase the basic grant, but the CDA did not include this in its election program.

Students do appear in the section on the housing shortage. Jetten and Bontenbal want more “shared housing arrangements for young people and students.” “Fewer studio apartments and more shared living not only creates more affordable housing more quickly,” they argue, “but also helps combat loneliness.”

They want to encourage this with “object subsidies.” It is not specified who would receive the subsidy: the student paying rent or the housing association constructing or renovating the building.

The housing crisis should also be tackled through “simpler rules for rooftop additions and property splits,” the two parties believe. “The minister will ensure municipalities do not create unnecessary barriers.” They also promise to remove obstacles to hospita renting (renting a room in an owner-occupied home).

Also relevant for students: if too few young people volunteer for military service, a “selective conscription” would be introduced. The armed forces must be sufficiently large, the two centrist parties argue.

Universities

Universities get a mixed message. Foreign researchers are welcome, but the two parties do not want to push too hard on admitting international students.

“We want research institutions to be able to attract and retain top researchers and top talent from abroad,” the agenda states. Institutions will again have the flexibility “to focus on attracting leading scientific talent.” To this end, the parties want to reinstate the expat regime, improve the policy for knowledge workers, and join the EU talent pool for non-European high-achievers.

But what about international students? They write: “Universities will implement the existing agreements on numbers of international students.” D66 and the CDA likely refer to the promised system of “self-regulation” by universities regarding internationalization.

Investments in science are also announced, but these investments seem primarily aimed at innovation and “knowledge valorization.”

Defense

D66 and the CDA want to become less dependent on the United States for the innovation of weapons systems. To achieve this, “we will invest heavily ourselves,” they write. Following the American example, they want a single defense innovation fund, which should ultimately account for ten percent of the defense budget.

This would be a fund “in which the defense ministry collaborates with universities, universities of applied sciences, research institutes, and the defense industry to build the armed forces of the future.” And indeed, they commit to meeting the higher NATO standard for defense spending.

Investments in Research and Innovation

“We will make major investments in innovation, knowledge and research, digitalization, and new energy infrastructure,” the two parties write. They elaborate on this in various parts of the document, often linking it to economic relevance.

“For example, we will increase public investments in R&D that are necessary for our future earning capacity and for productivity growth.” They do not commit to the Lisbon target (three percent of GDP in public and private investments), saying only that they will move in that direction.

Another example: “We will invest in scientific research, digital infrastructure, and knowledge valorization to bring (scientific) knowledge to market more frequently and effectively.” They also want to maintain “competitiveness” through investments in research and innovation.

The two parties will also invest in campuses because they are important for research and innovation. “This contributes to an ecosystem for startups and scale-ups,” according to the agenda.

Other Parties

It now remains to be seen whether this document, without precise financial commitments, will lead to a majority coalition. A minority cabinet could also be an option, as long as it can count on support in the House of Representatives.