Netherlands News in English

69 demolition and tree felling notifications in Haarlem last week

The municipality of Haarlem processed 69 permit applications last week related to demolition and tree felling. Of these requests, 68 were for projects within Haarlem and one was for Spaarndam, informi...

Amsterdam police release footage of group of youths pelting officers on New Year's Eve

Waiting patiently to vote at Haarlem station: 'I consider it a privilege'

Residents in Haarlem gathered early Wednesday morning at the local train station to cast their votes as polls opened for the municipal elections. Mayor Jos Wienen also cast his ballot at the Hart Haar...

New residential care facility Het Overboshuis opens in Hoofddorp: ‘Immediate positive feeling, and my father's parrot can live here too’

Alderman Charlotte van der Meij has officially opened Het Overboshuis, a new small-scale residential care facility for people with dementia in Hoofddorp. The home provides space for 22 residents and i...

Supermarkets won't be sky-high tomorrow due to Iran war, nor the day after

Despite rising oil prices affecting transportation and packaging costs, supermarkets are not expected to introduce an immediate 'Iran surcharge' on food products. Consumers will likely not see a sudde...

What do entrepreneurs in Velsen hope for from a new city council? ‘Some wonder if they can even stay in Velsen’

Entrepreneurs in Velsen are reflecting on the local business climate and their expectations for the incoming municipal council following recent elections. A survey reveals significant concerns among b...

LIVE 2026 Municipal Elections | Candidate makes striking plea: ‘Don’t vote for me, don’t do it’

Boukje Stoker-Langeraap, a candidate for the local party Heerenveen Lokaal in the 2026 municipal elections, has issued an unusual request on social media asking voters not to cast ballots for her. Thi...

Burglars caught red-handed at Beverwijk Bazaar

Two individuals were caught red-handed while attempting to break into the Beverwijkse Bazaar on Tuesday evening. The suspects were apprehended at the scene during the failed burglary attempt.

Attempted burglary at fire station in Spaarndam

An attempted burglary occurred today at the fire station on Ringweg in Spaarndam. The intruders fled empty-handed after the building's alarm was triggered, according to a spokesperson for the safety r...

Simon Pennings nominated as Agricultural Entrepreneur 2026, first bulb grower in 23 years

Flower bulb grower Simon Pennings from Noordwijkerhout has been nominated for the Agricultural Entrepreneur of the Year 2026 award. He is the first bulb grower to receive a nomination in 23 years and ...

More venues for theater, film, dance and other cultural activities in North

The city is investing 19 million euros in arts and culture in Amsterdam-Noord to support more venues for theater, film, and dance. This investment aims to meet the increasing demand for cultural facil...

Petrol is already expensive, but new climate rules threaten further price explosion

New European climate regulations are expected to cause a sharp increase in fuel and energy prices for consumers. Petrol prices could rise by 24% and diesel by 16%, impacting both motorists and househo...

LIVE 2026 Municipal Elections | Dushi dies unexpectedly, but you can still vote for her today

Marian Eisden, a candidate for GroenLinks-PvdA in Gouda known as Dushi, has passed away unexpectedly at age 59. Despite her death, she remains on the ballot for the 2026 municipal elections, and suppo...

Expats in the region are also heading to the polls. What determines their vote? ‘I pay close attention to tax policy and living comfort’

Expats in the Netherlands are preparing to vote in upcoming municipal elections, focusing on issues like tax policy and housing comfort. Many participants emphasize that voting is a civic responsibili...

Gasoline and diesel prices continue to rise

National advisory prices for gasoline and diesel in the Netherlands reached record levels on Wednesday according to consumer organization UnitedConsumers. The price for Euro95 rose to over 2.50 euros ...

LIVE 2026 Municipal Elections | Prime Minister Jetten casts vote in school, Wilders votes in care home

Prime Minister Rob Jetten and PVV leader Geert Wilders have cast their votes in The Hague for the 2026 Dutch municipal elections. Jetten voted at a local primary school, while Wilders cast his ballot ...

Police stop investigation into Italiëlaan bullet, mayor called to account

Haarlem police have decided not to pursue a case regarding a bullet found during a shooting on Frankrijklaan last spring. Meanwhile, Mayor Jos Wienen has been called to provide a written explanation t...

LIVE 2026 Municipal Elections | Over 14 million Dutch citizens can now vote at numerous locations

The 2026 municipal elections in the Netherlands have officially begun, with nearly 10,000 polling stations opening nationwide starting at 7:30 AM. Over 14 million eligible voters are expected to cast ...

Weather forecast: sunny Wednesday with temperatures up to 17 degrees

Wednesday will be a sunny day with temperatures reaching between 13 and 17 degrees. According to Weeronline, the sun is expected to appear regularly over the next few days as well.

This was the result in your municipality at the last local elections

The article reflects on the 2022 municipal elections in the Netherlands, where new councils were elected in 333 out of 354 municipalities. It explains that some regions did not participate during that...

History Café on Haarlem’s vanished shops: Grote Houtstraat and Barteljorisstraat in focus

The Noord-Hollands Archief is hosting a Historisch Café event on Monday, March 30, focused on the history of disappeared shops in Haarlem's city center. The presentation will specifically examine the...

Pregnant dairy cows often sent to slaughter, NVWA investigating

The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) is investigating why dairy farmers continue to transport heavily pregnant cows to slaughterhouses despite a legal ban. Since January 2...

Garage Stoop persists in search for leak in Karin's car

Garage Stoop is investigating a persistent leakage issue in Karin's car that causes excessive moisture and internal window icing during frost. The garage is dedicated to finding the source of the leak...

A mosh pit all the way to the back rows; it happened during Geese at Paradiso

Almost all polling stations are open

Nearly all 9,964 polling stations across the Netherlands officially opened at 7:30 AM for the current elections. While most stations followed this schedule, some locations began accepting votes as ear...

LIVE North Holland Elections | Polls are open

The municipal elections have officially started in the province of North Holland, with polling stations now open to the public. This live coverage provides updates and information regarding the electi...

Voters can choose from almost as many parties as in 2022

Dutch voters in the upcoming municipal elections will have a choice of nearly nine parties on average, which is consistent with the figures from 2022. According to an ANP analysis of Kiesraad data, th...

Gloom over low turnout is understandable, but it can be different: four ways to turn the tide

Local elections in the Netherlands are facing low voter turnout, prompting discussions on how to reverse this trend. The article explores four potential solutions, such as hosting election events, off...

Forum in the city council: from Ratelband to crypto king

Forum voor Democratie is participating in the municipal elections in 104 Dutch municipalities this year, more than doubling its previous reach. The party had to quickly recruit hundreds of candidates ...

What you need to know about today's municipal elections

Residents of Amsterdam are voting today in the municipal and district council elections at 460 polling stations across the city. Voters can choose from 622 candidates representing 35 parties, with ini...