Morning editors left the Spanish high-speed collision, fixed at 68 dead after audio pointed to an instruction to pass a red signal, and turned to The Hague. JA21, BBB and SGP laid a joint budget bid before the minority Jetten cabinet, framed as a monster alliance boxing in the coalition with demands on nitrogen, asylum and abortion.
The cabinet leadership convened amid leaking irritation over whether the trio wanted a deal. Coverage shifted to the squeeze on the VVD, described as cornered despite concessions already won but poorly sold, while CDA and D66 dismissed the package. The cabinet announced talks with several opposition combinations the next day as polls showed the coalition dozens of seats down.
Apart, attention went to ECB president Lagarde leaving in February, possible ABP and PME pension rises, Shell's renewed billion profits, and police naming five TEFAF suspects believed in Serbia.