After a ride to parliament in golden carriage, Dutch king declares end to welfare state
By Agence France-Presse
Tuesday, September 17, 2013 18:15 EDT
Topics: austerity measures ♦ Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem
The Dutch government heralded the end of the welfare state on Tuesday as the fifth-largest eurozone economy presented an austerity-driven budget for 2014.
“The classic welfare state is slowly but surely turning into a society of participation,” King Willem-Alexander told parliament, laying out the Liberal-led government’s plans for the year.
“It is asked of all those who can to take responsibility for their own life and that of those around them,” the king said in the speech written by Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
The king, who travelled through the streets of The Hague to address MPs and senators in an ornate horse-drawn golden carriage, said the transformation would be particularly noticeable in social security and long-term healthcare policies.
“The classic welfare state of the second half of the 20th century has ended up with practices in these domains that have become untenable in their current form,” said the king, whose country for decades symbolised the western European ideal of the welfare state.
After a ride to parliament in golden carriage, Dutch king declares end to welfare state | The Raw Story
By Agence France-Presse
Tuesday, September 17, 2013 18:15 EDT
Topics: austerity measures ♦ Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem
The Dutch government heralded the end of the welfare state on Tuesday as the fifth-largest eurozone economy presented an austerity-driven budget for 2014.
“The classic welfare state is slowly but surely turning into a society of participation,” King Willem-Alexander told parliament, laying out the Liberal-led government’s plans for the year.
“It is asked of all those who can to take responsibility for their own life and that of those around them,” the king said in the speech written by Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
The king, who travelled through the streets of The Hague to address MPs and senators in an ornate horse-drawn golden carriage, said the transformation would be particularly noticeable in social security and long-term healthcare policies.
“The classic welfare state of the second half of the 20th century has ended up with practices in these domains that have become untenable in their current form,” said the king, whose country for decades symbolised the western European ideal of the welfare state.
After a ride to parliament in golden carriage, Dutch king declares end to welfare state | The Raw Story