Before the elections, the House of Representatives adopted by a large majority a proposal put forward by National Security Council leader Peter Umtzigt according to which students who suffered from the loan system then in place (the so-called Bad Luck Generation) would be financially compensated.
Omtzigt's proposal could result in costs of up to $6 billion because the interest deduction applies to the entire period that students from the unlucky generation are busy paying.
One-time fee
But today, National Security Council representative Rosanne Hertzberger comes up with a different explanation. Instead of the deduction on accrued interest suggested by Omtzigt, you want a one-time payment for all your student loans. An additional advantage: it costs 1.4 billion instead of the 6 billion that the original Umzigt plan would have cost.
During the parliamentary debate in which Hertzberger announced this new plan, D66 member Jean Paternot responded as if bitten by a snake: “I heard Hertzberger say ‘part of the money’, what part do you want to use?” He did not receive a clear answer. For this reason, he, with the support of CU, GroenLinks/PvdA and Volt, among others, will ask the House of Representatives to commit to the amount originally budgeted. A proposal was submitted for this purpose.
NSC MP Hertzberger sees it differently. “The previous amendment by Peter Omtzgut arranged compensation for fault generation. In this proposal to clarify that amendment, we put forward the amount of 1.4 billion so that we can pay proportionately to this simultaneously,” she says in a response to RTL Nieuws. It will start in 2026. All loan system students can pay compensation. In other scenarios, 183 million would be released annually from 2029. Students of the loan system need money right now.
The question is whether this proposal will pass. At that time, the VVD was the only party that opposed the Umtsigt plan. Now that the National Security Council also wants something different, it depends on the Freedom Party. These three parties are currently negotiating with the BBB about forming a new government.
Swap the duo
Outgoing Minister Robert Dijkgraaf said the following today in the debate in which the scheme was discussed: “Uncertainty around the student loan system has been going on for a long time. I would certainly take into account the desire to implement it as soon as possible. But 2026 is a difficult road to change, and I Certainly willing to cooperate as much as possible.
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science further confirms that DUO will provide reparations for the generation of collapse in 2025. 1 billion has been made available for this purpose. The law for this compensation is already ready.
