DUTCH PARLIAMENT CONSIDERS FIRST STEP TOWARDS ASKING KING TO PAY INCOME TAX – This plan would require an amendment to the constitution
Dutch lawmakers will vote on a first step towards requiring King Willem-Alexander and his family to pay income tax, a plan that would require an amendment to the constitution.
The initial motion, expected to be put to the vote on Tuesday, requires a simple majority to pass. It asks the government to propose a constitutional change, which would then ultimately need backing from two-thirds of both houses of parliament.
Such a proposal appeared to have sufficient support in the House of Representatives, but the level of support in the Senate is less clear.
The biggest Senate fraction, the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB), was leaning towards backing the motion during the debate on Thursday evening but stopped short of supporting it.
Members of parliament in favour of taxing the royal family hope that a new coalition government, which has yet to be formed, might lead to a change.
The royal family receives tax-free money from taxpayers on top of their private income, some of which is taxed.
