vrijheidsbijdrage valt verpleegkundige zwaarder dan kamerlid

2026-02-19 economie

Den Haag, donderdag, 19 februari 2026.
een verpleegkundige of vuilnisman betaalt ruim 150 euro per jaar aan de vrijheidsbijdrage. een kamerlid met een topsalaris betaalt 134,51 euro. dit lijkt tegen de logica. toch gebeurt het. de belastingtrekking valt harder op midden- en lage inkomens. mensen met een modaal inkomen van 48.000 euro betalen relatief en absoluut meer dan hogere inkomens. experts wijzen op een gebrek aan sociale rechtvaardigheid. de economische last wordt onevenredig verdeeld. juist die groepen die al onder druk staan, zoals zorgwerkers, voelen de klap het eerste. het Jetten-beleid roept vragen op over wie werkelijk bijdraagt aan de nationale inspanning.

disproportionate burden on low and mid income earners

The freedom contribution under Jetten-I falls hardest on those earning average or low wages. A nurse or sanitation worker pays approximately €150 annually, exceeding what members of parliament pay. Individuals earning the median income of €48,000 contribute €151.96, which represents 0.317% of their yearly earnings. In contrast, someone earning three times the median—€134,000—pays just €137.60, or 0.103% of their income [1]. This contradicts the principle of ability to pay.

regressive nature of the tax hike

Although labeled as a shared national effort, the freedom contribution functions as a disguised tax increase. By limiting inflation adjustments to tax brackets and credits, lower and middle-income groups enter higher tax bands faster. They lose access to tax reductions sooner than high earners. Those on minimum wage—€29,800—pay €112.71, equal to 0.378% of their income [2]. High earners face minimal relative impact, reinforcing concerns over fairness [3].

Experts and unions argue the economic strain is distributed unfairly. The FNV union conducted calculations showing that modest incomes bear a heavier load both relatively and absolutely. With €1.5 billion raised in 2027 alone, rising to €3.4 billion by 2028, the financial pressure intensifies [4]. Critics including Luc Stultiens emphasize that ordinary citizens are paying while top earners remain shielded [5]. This fuels broader societal discontent regarding fiscal justice.

Bronnen

vrijheidsbijdrade oneerlijke verdeling