King’s speech: “What can be done” is central to cabinet policy

The new government’s strategy is to look at what can be done, and how things can be simplified, king Willem-Alexander said in his speech outlining the coalition’s plans which kicked off the new parliamentary year.

Policy must be about giving people more space and more certainty, he said, and this requires a “different, service-orientated administration”.

Many of the concerns that are damaging trust in the government, such as migration, housing, nature and farming can be traced back to a complex set of regulations that have developed over the years, he said.

“Too often people are told that there is a formal reason why something cannot be done,” the king said. “Things which should be taken for granted are becoming more unreachable, like a roof over your head, sufficient income and a safe space to live” and this, he said, is leading people to feel more insecure.

“It is this trend that the government wants to reverse in the coming period. Working step by step with energy and dedication, but with pragmatism and realism too,” the king said. “The government wants to face up to long-standing problems and break the logjams.”

This will be done “within the bounds of the rule of law and convey an honest message: the possibilities of what can be achieved will always be limited, whether by spatial, environmental or financial constraints, or by personnel shortages,” the king said.

The king reiterated the new cabinet’s commitment to strict budgetary discipline but said that everyone would have more disposable income in the coming period. “The government aims to boost income security by thoroughly reforming and simplifying the entire income support system, including benefits,” the king said.

“This should also prevent people falling through gaps in the system. The measures to provide redress for the failings in the childcare benefit system and the earthquake damage in Groningen will be continued as matters of utmost priority.”

Migration in all its forms is a major cause of concern and the Netherlands’ population has reached 18 million more quickly than usual, the king said. The cabinet will act in particular to reduce the number of refugees with “tougher, faster and more basic” as key words in the strategy, he said.

The king referred to several major reviews which will be presented to parliament later in the year, including a fundamental rethink of the sort of economy the Netherlands wants and a review of ideas to reduce the manure mountain. There will also be a summit on boosting the Netherlands’ attractiveness as a place to do business and on speeding up the house-building programme.

“In our complex society, it is not always easy to give a simple answer to the question of what one can do,” the king said. “And yet that is the task of any political office holder or public administrator.

• Read the full speech, in English, German or French

“Because, if large groups of people can no longer cope with a country’s rules, then government policy has missed its mark. With that in mind, the government will work step by step towards concrete solutions that foster certainty, trust and cohesion”