The government is increasingly resorting to an emergency measure to be able to spend money without having to ask parliament for permission. Research by de Volkskrant shows that in 2022 this amounted to no less than 20.7 billion euros. 51 interim adjustments were made to the balance sheet.
It is customary for the government to obtain parliamentary approval for all expenditure. To this end, ministries present their budgets to parliament at three pre-set times. But beyond these three moments, a budget can be adjusted incidentally in exceptional situations. This is done with a so-called “ancillary supplementary budget,” a separate bill that must first pass the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Crisis situation
However, when there is a new policy, ministries can also plan extra spending without parliamentary approval. This is possible, for example, if, according to a minister, postponing the new policy in a crisis situation “is not in the interest of the state”. The Senate and the House of Representatives must be notified at that time. In 2022, another €41.8 billion was spent and no prior authorization was required for €20.7 billion, according to last year’s 51 ancillary adjustments.
Source: BNR
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.
