The Dutch coalition government, comprised of D66, VVD, and CDA parties, has yet to reach an agreement on next year’s budget, leading to continued negotiations into the night. Talks are being held at the Ministry of Finance in The Hague under a tight deadline, with plans needing to be finalized by Monday night to allow time for review by the Council of State before Prinsjesdag on September 15th. The protracted negotiations are a common tactic in Dutch politics, used to exert pressure and gain advantages. While Vice-Premier Yesilgöz initially expressed optimism, the process has proven difficult, particularly regarding wealth tax (box 3) and social security. The coalition failed to secure deals with opposition parties, meaning the budget will be submitted without a majority in the Lower House. Prime Minister Jetten indicated they will seek majority support for individual ministry budgets later, but internal disagreements between coalition partners persist, as D66 and CDA aim to prevent a budget overly skewed to the right to maintain support from the Pro party.