Dutch King gives optimistic economic outlook in speech

On the traditional opening day of the parliamentary year the Dutch government presented its plans for the forthcoming year through the Speech from the Throne by King Willem-Alexander, who passed an optimistic economic message.

"The Dutch economy is growing again," the King said. "For the first time in a long while, we are again seeing growth forecasts of over two percent and public finances heading in the right direction. But despite all these reasons to face the future with confidence, we cannot afford to sit back. Unemployment is still too high. The number of jobs is increasing, but too many people are still unable to find work."

"It is important that everyone feels the impact of the recovery, so that people will again dare to face the future with growing optimism," the King continued. "Now that the economy is picking up and there is qualified scope for a recovery in purchasing power and employment, we can feel renewed confidence that future generations will be better off."

"Prinsjesdag", or Prince's Day, held every year in The Hague on the third Tuesday of September, is a day of many traditions.

According to tradition, King Willem-Alexander travelled in the royal Golden Coach from Noordeinde Palace to the house of parliament with his wife Queen Maxima. The thousands of spectators in The Hague saw the Golden Coach for the last time for a long to come, because the vehicle will be renovated in the coming years and temporarily replaced by the Glass Coach.

Following the procession, the King read his speech, written by the ministers and secretaries of state, in a joint session of the Dutch senate and house of representatives in the "Ridderzaal", or Hall of Knights.

"Prinsjesdag" is a festive day, but as Prime Minister Mark Rutte had said, also an important day, in terms of content and expressing a serious message.

After his message, the King along with Queen Maxima boarded the Golden Coach again and moved back to the palace for the traditional balcony scene.

Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem moved to the House of Representatives to present an overview of the costs of the plans. He does that after opening a ceremonial briefcase, with the "Miljoenennota", the national budget plan.

This time, Dijsselbloem had with him the original suitcase of his late predecessor Piet Lieftinck, who used the suitcase for the first time in 1947. "It became the symbol of sensible budgeting, but also of renewed prosperity," Dijsselbloem explained, kind of similar to the current situation. Endit