Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte pulled out of an EU summit yesterday to deal with a mounting political crisis at home that is threatening to topple his centre-right coalition government.
Emergency talks throughout the day in The Hague failed to resolve a deadlock triggered by the blocking by coalition allies of a health Bill that was submitted by Rutte’s party.
The Bill, a core healthcare reform pushed by the Liberals to reduce government spending, was voted against on Tuesday by three senators in the Labour Party, the other coalition partner, leaving Rutte scrabbling to find a compromise.
But a deal seemed far off after the trio told Dutch broadcaster RTL they were not willing to negotiate or guarantee they would support a revised draft.
Rutte wrote to parliament Thursday afternoon announcing his plans not to attend a European Council meeting in Brussels, highlighting the seriousness of the situation, which blew up just a day before the government begins its Christmas recess.
The Bill was aimed at saving the government, midway through a 4-year term, one billion euros from 2016 by restricting where patients can seek medical treatment.
Patients can now go to hospitals or clinics of their own choice and the insurer reimburses the costs. Under the new law, patients would be limited to medical suppliers with which the insurer has negotiated contracts.
Coalition senators who blocked Bill say they are not willing to negotiate
Rutte had told reporters earlier that progress had been made, adding that talks would continue in the “expectation that they could lead to a positive outcome”.
Health Minister Edith Schippers, from the prime minister’s Liberal VVD party, said the bill would create better, more affordable, healthcare. However, opponents say it will limit the freedom of patients to pick their own doctors.
Rutte’s government has been in power for just over two years after winning snap elections triggered by failed talks with anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders about forming a minority government with his support.