Dutch Government Instability Costs Taxpayers €1 Million in Ministerial Severance Payments
The Hague, 20 February 2026
Political upheaval proves expensive as the double collapse of the Schoof Cabinet triggers unprecedented severance costs for fallen ministers.
The Cost of Political Collapse
The double collapse of the Schoof I Cabinet in 2025 has left Dutch taxpayers with an approximately €1 million bill for severance payments to former ministers and state secretaries from the PVV and NSC parties [1][2]. This figure represents only the payments made in 2025 alone, based on the latest severance pay overview from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations [1]. The costs could escalate further if former parliamentarians who lost their positions due to the cabinet’s collapse struggle to secure new employment quickly [2]. Individual severance payments to the departed officials ranged from €7,000 to nearly €100,000, depending on their previous roles and length of service [2].
Timeline of Political Turmoil
The financial burden stems from two distinct political crises that unfolded throughout 2025. PVV leader Geert Wilders first collapsed the Cabinet in June 2025, withdrawing his party from the coalition over disagreements on asylum policy [1]. The NSC followed suit in August 2025, when their ministers resigned after Foreign Minister Veldkamp quit due to blocked Israel sanctions [1]. Since the PVV pulled out first, it can be deduced that PVV ministers and state secretaries received a larger share of the total €1 million severance package [1]. The calculation excludes additional payments to Nora Achahbar, who stepped down from her position as State Secretary for Allowances in November 2024 [1].
Understanding the Severance System
Dutch political severance arrangements are designed to bridge the gap between political careers and subsequent employment opportunities [1]. Former government ministers receive severance pay for the duration of their service, with a minimum of two years and a maximum of three years and two months [2]. Those who serve less than three months are entitled to only six months of severance pay [2]. The payment structure provides 80% of their previous salary in the first year, dropping to 70% thereafter [2]. Ministers typically receive higher amounts than state secretaries due to their greater salaries whilst in office [2]. The scheme can also supplement income for politicians whose new positions pay significantly less than their previous government roles [1].
Broader Context of Rising Political Costs
The 2025 severance payments represent part of a broader trend of escalating political transition costs in the Netherlands. Total severance payments reached €6.8 million in 2024 and €5.7 million in 2025, both substantially higher than in previous years [2]. The overall expenditure for former government officials has grown dramatically from several hundred thousand euros at the beginning of this decade to nearly €3 million in the previous year [2]. Ironically, the PVV, whose members received a share of the €1 million in 2025 severance pay, had included scrapping such arrangements in their election programme [1]. Many newly elected parliamentarians after recent elections chose not to apply for salary supplements despite being entitled to them, arguing that parliamentary salaries are already generous enough [1].