Netherlands News in English
Netherlands news in English — Dutch national headlines covering politics, housing, immigration, the economy, transport and daily life, translated and updated throughout the day for the international community.
CDA leader Rogier Havelaar: ‘This city government polarizes: anyone who thinks differently is sidelined’
Rogier Havelaar, the CDA party leader in Amsterdam, has criticized the current city administration for polarizing the community and dismissing dissenting opinions from entrepreneurs and the national g...
Caroline van der Plas steps down as BBB leader, Henk Vermeer to succeed her
Caroline van der Plas is stepping down as the leader of the BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB) and will be succeeded by Member of Parliament Henk Vermeer. While Vermeer takes over the party leadership, Van der ...
A coffee with Carla Kabamba (Party for Tomorrow): "This city must not become homogeneous"
Carla Kabamba, leader of the Party for Tomorrow (Partij voor Morgen), outlined her vision for Amsterdam ahead of the municipal elections, focusing on affordable housing and increased investment in voc...
Large quantity of fireworks in garbage bags dumped at recreation park near Abcoude
A large quantity of fireworks was discovered discarded in garbage bags at the Hogedijk recreation park between Abcoude and Amsterdam on Friday morning. The items were found along the Abcouderstraatweg...
‘Micha Wertheim for Everyone’ is highly nuanced yet contains provocative propositions
Dutch comedian Micha Wertheim's new show, "Voor iedereen," explores the role of theater as a space for control in an increasingly chaotic world where politics has become a spectacle. The performance d...
Politics on the Amstel: Poll changes campaign dynamics and embarrassing debate over Stek Oost
Journalists from AT5, Het Parool, and De Telegraaf discussed the shifting dynamics of Amsterdam’s political campaign, where PvdA, GroenLinks, and D66 are currently neck-and-neck in the polls while t...
Amsterdam man who threatened Douwe Bob after Jewish football event unrest arrested again
A 38-year-old Amsterdam man suspected of threatening singer Douwe Bob has been rearrested for violating the conditions of his release. The suspect, who had been free for several months, was originally...
What is even more interesting than Kjeld Nuis's relationship? A single Femke Kok!
The media's focus on the romantic lives of Dutch Olympic skaters recently sparked controversy after coach Dennis van der Gun joked that gold medalist Femke Kok "only needs a boyfriend" to complete her...
Flood of complaints about Odido prompts watchdog to issue special appeal
Dutch authorities are being overwhelmed by reports from current and former Odido customers concerned about potential identity fraud. The surge in complaints has prompted the Dutch Data Protection Auth...
This is how we make Haarlem natural gas-free
The city of Haarlem has established its Heat Program 2026–2030, which outlines a step-by-step plan to become entirely natural gas-free by 2040. Starting in late 2026, the municipality will collabora...
Help with lost and found items
The City of Haarlem provides services for lost and found items through its public hall at Zijlvest and the iLost website. Official documents and keys should be handed in at the public hall, while othe...
Council approves final design for Groene Singel
The Haarlem City Council has approved the final design for the redevelopment of the Gedempte Oostersingelgracht into a new neighborhood park called "Groene Singel." The project will add over 4,000 m²...
Oostenburg deck cancelled due to potential risks to swimmers – and not everyone in the neighborhood is happy
The City of Amsterdam has revoked the permit for a planned floating deck at the VOC-kade in the Oostenburg neighborhood, citing safety risks for swimmers due to expected increases in boat traffic. The...
Boil water advisory in part of Amsterdam: what are gut bacteria doing in our tap water?
Water utility Waternet has issued a boil-water advisory for 130 households in Amsterdam-Zuid and Nieuw-West after E.coli and Enterococci bacteria were detected in the tap water. Residents are advised ...
Former Jehovah's Witness Armando committed armed robbery, but is now a successful entrepreneur: ‘Suddenly I had a change of heart’
Armando Muis, a 35-year-old former Jehovah's Witness who committed an armed robbery at age 15, has transformed his life into a highly successful business career. Currently a fatbike entrepreneur, he i...
Majority of city council rejects plan for cable car over the IJ
A majority of the Amsterdam City Council has expressed opposition to a proposed cable car across the IJ river, citing concerns about its financial vulnerability and heavy reliance on tourists. While t...
Fred Grim sees shaken squad after losing Zinchenko, who already said goodbye at Ajax: ‘He feels guilty’
Ajax will be without players Ko Itakura and Oleksandr Zinchenko for their upcoming match against NEC following a serious knee injury sustained by Zinchenko during his debut. Coach Fred Grim noted that...
Ajax's Ko Itakura still out for important match against NEC
Ajax will face NEC on Saturday without injured defender Ko Itakura and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who is sidelined for the remainder of the season. Manager Fred Grim confirmed that while Takehiro Tomiyasu i...
Lower incomes will feel new cabinet measures more than high earners
Calculations by the CPB indicate that the new Jetten cabinet's economic plans will reduce disposable income, with lower-income households expected to feel the impact most significantly. In response to...
Dutch citizens no longer allowed to participate in Polymarket betting
The American betting platform Polymarket has blocked Dutch users from participating in wagers on its site. This action follows a demand from the Dutch Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit) for the c...
More common in men and active athletes: what we know about the origins of ALS
ALS is a progressive muscle disease that causes increasing paralysis and is currently incurable, though neuroscientist Jeroen Pasterkamp notes that significant advancements have been made in treatment...
Construction of 6,500 homes in Hamerkwartier still possible after deal with chemical company Ketjen
The City of Amsterdam has reached an agreement with chemical company Ketjen to proceed with the construction of 6500 homes in the Hamerkwartier district, following a previous legal block over health a...
Haarlem City Council approves Green Singel design
The Haarlem city council has approved the final design for the redevelopment of the Gedempte Oostersingelgracht, also known as the Groene Singel. The project will add over 4,000 square meters of green...
Orlando by early music ensemble La Tempête could go down in history as a hit
The early music ensemble La Tempête, directed by Simon-Pierre Bestion, recently debuted a multidisciplinary production titled *Orlando* at Amsterdam's Muziekgebouw. The performance creatively blends ...
Dick Schoof was mocked and reviled, but still quietly left his mark
After 600 days in office, the premiership of non-partisan Dutch leader Dick Schoof is coming to an end. Despite lacking political allies and facing significant criticism, the former top civil servant ...
What stuck: Alderman Groot Wassink’s swipe at VVD and JA21
Amsterdam Alderman Rutger Groot Wassink criticized the VVD and JA21 parties during a tense city council debate about incidents at the Stek Oost housing complex, dismissing their motion of censure as a...
Housing construction in Hamerkwartier to proceed after deal with Ketjen
The industrial area Hamerkwartier will be transformed into a mixed residential neighborhood following a new agreement with the chemical company Ketjen. This deal enables the commencement of housing co...
Major parking problems in this new neighborhood: 'Barrier is being forced open'
Residents of "The Bridge" residential building in Amsterdam-Zuidoost are facing severe parking shortages because the municipality does not issue street parking permits for new developments in the area...
This North Holland station is a pleasant place to be (and this one isn't)
A recent survey by ProRail and NS identifies Overveen as the most pleasant railway station in North Holland, while Wormerveer received the lowest satisfaction score due to a lack of facilities and rec...
Traffic fines in Haarlem generate more revenue for state treasury than in 2024
Traffic offenders in Haarlem generated more than 8.3 million euros for the state treasury last year. According to figures from the fine collection agency CJIB, this total represents the revenue collec...