Netherlands News in English

Municipal elections on March 18: what Hart voor Haarlem wants

Residents of Haarlem will participate in municipal elections on March 18 to vote for a new city council. Reporter Nynke La Porte provides an overview of the candidates and their platforms, specificall...

Municipal elections on March 18: what ChristenUnie wants in Haarlem

Residents of Haarlem will vote in the municipal council elections on Wednesday, March 18. Reporter Nynke La Porte provides an overview of the political parties and their platforms, specifically focusi...

Difficult personal circumstances force professional footballer Reda Kharchouch (30) to retire: 'I choose my son and my wife'

Professional footballer Reda Kharchouch is ending his professional career in Cyprus to return to the Netherlands due to personal family reasons. The 30-year-old striker will join the amateur club SJC ...

When voters act as politicians, it's not just about self-interest. The silent middle doesn't polarize and cares for the whole city

The article explores the perspectives of the "silent middle," a group of voters who prioritize community connection and collective well-being over political polarization. It suggests that when ordinar...

Bennebroek and Vogelenzang communities satisfied with Bloemendaal municipality: ‘We are no longer a dumping ground’

Residents of Bennebroek and Vogelenzang are reflecting on their relationship with the Bloemendaal municipality ahead of local elections. While many feel a growing sense of involvement, some community ...

Reject the free beer

With only a few days remaining before the municipal elections, local political parties in both urban and rural areas are campaigning for seats on the council. This period has placed local politics in ...

Ten angels on the shoulders of Stella Fietsen owners: 'Actually we are just very happy'

The owners of a Stella Fietsen shop in Beverwijk experienced a severe fire in their warehouse roof on Thursday night. Despite the incident, the business remained fully operational on Friday with custo...

Ukrainian refugees arrive Monday in Oud-IJmuiden. Top floor not in use by order of fire department

The first Ukrainian refugees are scheduled to arrive at a newly converted shelter in IJmuiden this Monday. Following a fire department inspection that prohibited the use of the top floor, the facility...

Toos & Henk - March 14

Cartoonist Paul Kusters presents his unique perspective on current events through the 'Toos & Henk' comic strip series. The series is published daily from Monday through Saturday.

The bouillon is a successful Parisian concept that also caught on in Amsterdam around 1900 – and now it’s back

Amsterdam’s Jewish community is ‘Israelizing’ and it’s not happening quietly

At jazz club and restaurant Contra, Mara Grimm doesn't have to worry about dancing on the table (8-)

Asbestos found in residential area in Soesterberg

Asbestos was discovered in a residential area in Soesterberg on Friday evening, prompting a significant emergency services response. The Utrecht Safety Region reported that there is no immediate dange...

Book Week opened with anniversary edition of Book Ball at ITA

PvdA politician Heinhuis: the brown cafe is officially intangible heritage

Lian Heinhuis, the PvdA faction chair in Amsterdam, announced that the traditional brown cafe has been officially added to the Dutch list of intangible heritage. The announcement was made during an ap...

Good news for the brown pub: classic café officially designated as intangible heritage

JA21 campaigns against Weesperknijp: "Giving people a wake-up call"

The political party Ja21 organized a campaign on Amsterdam's Weesperstraat to protest the 'Weesperknijp' project, which aims to reduce car traffic and lower speed limits. Party leader Sytze Rijpkema c...

Speels Eskalatie wins best Acda Award final in years; the creative can even turn Satie's piano music into ska

The band Eskalatie won the 2026 Rob Acda Award finale at the Patronaat venue, breaking a long-standing dominance of conservatory-trained acts in the competition. The event saw a high audience turnout ...

Local parties want more cabinet support for safety

Local political parties in the Netherlands are calling for increased support from the national cabinet to address security issues and police shortages. During a radio debate, representatives argued th...

The scent of Surinamese soup wafts through the theater at ‘Peper en zuur?!’ as the atmosphere grows increasingly convivial

Delsen (SP): When people lose trust in politics, socialism is a beautiful answer

Angelo Delsen, the SP's lead candidate for the Amsterdam municipal elections, advocates for a socialist approach to restore public trust in politics. His key proposals include making public transport ...

Mayor of Heemskerk reports racist messages and theft of election signs to police: 'This is unacceptable'

Mayor Alexander Luijten of Heemskerk has notified the police regarding the theft and vandalism of election posters that were defaced with racist messages. He condemned the acts as unacceptable and con...

Telegraaf removes passage from article after Bellingcat investigation

The Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf removed a passage and a photo from an article after an investigation by Bellingcat suggested the content was fabricated. The report concerned alleged repatriation flig...

Second 150th anniversary flag for IJmuiden flying off the shelves: 'A flag should look festive'

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of IJmuiden, a second commemorative flag designed by Eric Hartendorf is selling rapidly. Although initially created as a joke, the flag has become popular for its fe...

Vuurtoreneiland has a new head chef: ‘One of Amsterdam’s greatest talents’

Should the canal return to Haarlem’s Gedempte Oude Gracht, as in Zaandam? ‘If you want to ruin your city, you should do that’

Political parties in Haarlem are debating the restoration of the canal at the Gedempte Oude Gracht, mirroring a project completed in Zaandam in 2013. Experts who led the Zaandam initiative, including ...

At this polling station, people without voting rights can still make their voices heard: ‘This is the first time I’m going to vote’

Police search homes of suspects in Rotterdam synagogue explosion

Dutch police conducted searches at residences in Tilburg on Friday afternoon as part of an investigation into an explosion at a synagogue in Rotterdam. The suspects are allegedly linked to the inciden...

Jaïr de Roeck (22) is running for the Zaan SP: ‘In some circles I don’t say I’m on the list’

Jaïr de Roeck, a 22-year-old student at the University of Amsterdam, is running as a candidate for the Socialist Party (SP) in the Zaanstad municipal elections. Positioned 12th on the list, he aims t...

Jordi Albers (24): 'Questioning assumptions and practices that older council members take for granted'

Jordi Albers, a 24-year-old politician, serves as the group chairman and lead candidate for the local party GBP in Purmerend. He also works as a council advisor in Zwijndrecht, emphasizing the importa...