Netherlands News in English
Dutch national news translated to English. Politics, economy, housing, immigration, and more for expats and internationals.
Ditch the phone, at Mooie Boules you learn to talk to others again: ‘We’ve forgotten how’
Mooie Boules, a company nominated for the National Entrepreneur Prize, offers nine locations where people can play jeu de boules without using their phones. Founded after spontaneous games at Amsterda...
Bar Pepe finally brings life to Westerpark West
Which company wins our Entrepreneurship Award this year? Vote for one of these nine candidates!
The public is invited to vote for one of nine small and medium-sized enterprise nominees for the National Entrepreneurship Award. The winner of this year's competition will be decided by the votes cas...
Soy Kroon in play about resistance fighter: a promise that cost him his life
Actors Soy Kroon and Thomas Cammaert star in the play 'Soldaat in verzet,' which depicts the life of Dutch resistance fighter Jan Verleun. The story examines the moral dilemmas and ultimate sacrifice ...
Euphoria at VVD and Forum for Democracy in Haarlemmermeer, FVD lead candidate: 'Showed the most growth'
The VVD and Forum for Democracy celebrated strong results in the Haarlemmermeer municipal elections, with the VVD maintaining its position as the largest party with eight seats. GroenLinks-PvdA and D6...
A political star is born in Waalwijk and other notable national election results
Recent municipal election results in the Netherlands show a trend of young male candidates finding success by campaigning on housing issues. Early analyses of the votes indicate that these specific po...
BVNL disappears from Haarlem: a look back at four years of Haarlem harassment politics. 'Freeloaders in your backyard'
The political party BVNL is exiting the Haarlem local government after four years of provocative politics aimed at green parties and Mayor Jos Wienen. The party failed to secure any seats in the recen...
More blank votes in Moerdijk municipality
The municipality of Moerdijk recorded an increase in blank votes during the recent elections, rising from 0.2 percent in 2022 to 0.5 percent this year. A total of 87 blank ballots were cast compared t...
Dutch Safety Board: Do more with recommendations from collapsed Nieuwegein car park
The Dutch Safety Board (OVV) reports that the Minister of Housing is not adequately implementing recommendations following the partial collapse of a parking garage in Nieuwegein in 2024. While the OVV...
Ajax player Tomiyasu back in Japan squad after nearly two years
Ajax defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has returned to the Japanese national team after nearly two years following a long-term injury. Tomiyasu, who joined the Amsterdam-based club in December, is set to fac...
Dutch gas supply not at risk, but winter reserves nearly empty: 'No problem yet'
According to gas network operator Gasunie, the gas supply for the Netherlands and surrounding countries remains stable despite recent attacks on installations in Qatar. While the Netherlands does not ...
Landscape architect René rolls up his sleeves in Velserbeek: ‘You look at things differently when you stand still’
Landscape architect René Huiberts is renovating the circular planting bed near the entrance of Park Velserbeek. The project involves replanting roses and using decorative shells to enhance the area i...
Reigershoeve care farm in Heemskerk opens its gates for residents with dementia: ‘No life without freedom’
Care farm De Reigershoeve in Heemskerk has decided to keep its gates open, allowing residents with dementia to move freely on and off the premises. The facility is prioritizing personal freedom and au...
World Indoor Championships schedule: Get ready for Lieke Klaver, Jessica Schilder and the relay teams
The World Indoor Athletics Championships will be held in Torun, Poland, from March 20-22, featuring Dutch athletes like Lieke Klaver and Jessica Schilder. Despite the absence of star runner Femke Bol,...
GreenLeft largest party in Amsterdam after seat gains
GroenLinks has become the largest party in the Amsterdam municipal council after gaining two seats for a total of ten. D66 also gained a seat, securing its position as the second-largest party with ei...
National turnout for municipal elections 53.7 percent
On Wednesday, 53.7% of eligible voters participated in the Dutch municipal elections, according to data from the ANP Election Service. This turnout reflects an increase from the 2022 elections, where ...
Charities chase trillion-euro inheritance
Dutch elderly are expected to leave behind a record 1,000 billion euros in inheritances, marking the largest wealth transfer in history. Charities are increasingly targeting these funds, though some e...
Sophie and Martine spoke with primary school students in Haarlem for a film: 'They wish their parents would spend less time on their phones at home'
Filmmaker Sophie Koster and choreographer Martine van Santen have released a new film featuring students from the Ter Cleeff primary school in Haarlem. The film explores the children's dreams for the ...
'Cleaning up together is more fun': come help on National Cleanup Day!
National Clean-up Day will take place on Saturday, March 21st, encouraging volunteers to help tidy up their local streets. Volunteer Gina Houwer highlights that working together makes the task more en...
Video | King jokes about gift: 'Máxima and Amalia will have to fight over it'
Election blog: counting continues at NDSM, full count expected this morning
Vote counting for the municipal elections continues at the NDSM Loods in Amsterdam, with final results expected this morning. Currently, GroenLinks leads the count with 70% of the votes processed, fol...
Election blog: GL/PvdA hold first joint talks and appoint scout
Following the municipal elections in Amsterdam, GroenLinks and PvdA have appointed Hendrik-Jan Biemond as a scout to lead coalition negotiations. Local party leaders from JA21, FvD, and Denk reacted t...
Bep van Klaveren fought his final match on this day in 1956: a bloody injury ended the legendary career of the ‘Dutch Windmill’
On March 19, 1956, legendary Dutch boxer Bep van Klaveren, known as the 'Dutch Windmill', fought his final career match in Rotterdam. The historic bout ended prematurely after a bloody injury forced t...
Yves Berendse to return to Ziggo Dome in November
Singer Yves Berendse is scheduled to perform a concert at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam on November 14. The venue officially announced the upcoming show on Thursday.
The best landscape painter in the Netherlands lived in Amsterdam and has no face
Jacob van Ruisdael was considered the premier landscape painter of the Netherlands during his lifetime while residing in Amsterdam. Despite his artistic success, many biographical details remain unkno...
LIVE 2026 Municipal Elections | ADO cult hero Tom Beugelsdijk almost certain of a seat in politics: ‘It’s a good week for The Hague’
The 2026 Dutch municipal elections saw a national voter turnout of 54.1 percent, an increase from 51 percent in 2022. In The Hague, former professional footballer Tom Beugelsdijk is virtually certain ...
40 years of voting rights for migrants: how politics became a reflection of the city
On March 19, 1986, migrants without Dutch nationality were granted the right to vote in local elections in the Netherlands for the first time. This historical milestone marks nearly 40 years of politi...
New Jumbo CEO saw in first 75 days that Jumbo has lost its luster: 'We spend hours in meetings'
Jumbo's new CEO, Jesper Højer, observed during his first 75 days that the supermarket chain has become overly complex and lost its competitive edge. He aims to revitalize the company by improving pro...
Haarlem votes for more of the same: GL-PvdA and D66 together larger than before
Voters in Haarlem have opted for political continuity in the recent elections, leaving the city's power dynamics largely unchanged. Despite various parties campaigning for change, the combined influen...
Behind the scenes of the elections: the election results
This article explores the behind-the-scenes process that occurs after polling stations close during an election. It highlights the essential work performed by report controllers and election officials...