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.

Election of bishop in Old Catholic Church of Haarlem: "Truly exciting"
The Old Catholic Church of Haarlem is holding a public election this Saturday to select a new bishop, a process currently characterized by significant uncertainty regarding the outcome. Following the ...
Moving? Homeowners over 65 in Haarlem move less than you would expect
Recent data shows that homeowners over 65 in Haarlem sell their properties less often than expected, accounting for only 25 percent of sales despite owning 29 percent of the homes. Many seniors remain...

Notable Flowerbikeman has been detained for nearly a month: "Significant chance of deportation"
Warren Gregory, widely known as the Amsterdam Flowerbikeman, has been detained for nearly a month due to residency permit issues. He is currently held in a Rotterdam detention center while awaiting a ...

New rules for onshore wind turbines introduced after much debate
The Dutch government has established new national regulations for onshore wind turbines to resolve years of legal and political deadlock regarding noise and distance standards. While the rules provide...
200-meter wind turbines must be 400 meters from homes, new government standard announced
The Dutch government has established a new minimum distance rule for land-based wind turbines, requiring them to be located at least twice their tip height away from residential homes. The policy seek...
How Jetten is cobbling his budget together with spit and duct tape
Prime Minister Rob Jetten is facing difficulties preparing the national budget ahead of Prinsjesdag, leading to claims of a political crisis from the opposition. Meanwhile, Mona Keijzer has announced ...

D-Block Europe and French Montana to play AFAS Live in Amsterdam
D-Block Europe and French Montana are set to perform a joint concert at AFAS Live in Amsterdam. Tickets for the event, which will highlight the collaborative history of the two acts, will be available...

Swapfiets tracks down more stolen bikes but remains unprofitable
Swapfiets reported a reduced loss of 7 million euros on 97 million euros of revenue in 2025, largely driven by e-bike sales and better recovery of stolen inventory. Although the company maintains 280,...

Fontaines D.C. to perform at Ziggo Dome on November 10
Fontaines D.C. will perform at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam on November 10 as part of an extensive European tour. Tickets for the band's debut performance at the venue go on sale on September 3.

Ajax to face Atalanta and Getafe among others in Conference League
Ajax has been drawn into the Conference League group stage, where they will face opponents including Atalanta, Getafe, and FC Thun. The competition, which starts on October 15, follows a new format wh...
Secret services get more powers for 'national security': 'Our knife is becoming sharper'
The Dutch government has introduced new legislation to grant the AIVD and MIVD intelligence agencies greater powers to combat threats like cyberattacks and foreign espionage. The proposal aims to incr...

NS could have explained rules for cheap subscription better
NS offered a heavily discounted summer rail subscription to 400,000 travelers, but the company admitted that the terms and automatic renewal process were not communicated clearly enough. While users p...
Reporter Tobias on budget tensions: ‘You do think: if they can’t even reach an agreement among themselves...’
Dutch coalition parties D66, VVD, and CDA are currently deadlocked over budget negotiations, struggling to agree on a fiscal direction before the Prinsjesdag deadline. Due to their minority status, th...

Saving points at MediaMarkt takes five times longer due to new terms
MediaMarkt is increasing the number of points required for a 20 euro discount voucher from 1,000 to 5,000 starting September 28. The company states this change is necessary to maintain the long-term v...

Dutch royals saddened by death of Norway's King Harald: 'Takk for alt'
King Harald V of Norway, Europe's oldest reigning monarch, has passed away, triggering tributes from international leaders and royal families across the continent. Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Quee...

Remaining gas grid users may face four times higher transport costs
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets warns that gas transport costs for remaining users could quadruple by 2050 as the customer base shrinks. High removal costs for idle connections are...

Staff shortage: night shipping on Amsterdam-Rhine Canal impossible for dozens of vessels
The Amsterdam-Rhine Canal will close to large vessels and those carrying hazardous goods at night starting next week due to a shortage of traffic controllers at Rijkswaterstaat. The staffing crisis, w...
Transgender people facing long waits for care sometimes start hormones themselves: 'It can be dangerous'
Fifteen percent of transgender individuals on the waiting list at Radboudumc have begun hormone therapy without professional supervision. Data indicates that 30 percent of these individuals are using ...
No Tolu, no party at Ajax: why the loanee has much more impact than the big-money signing
Ajax striker Tolu Arokodare is outperforming marquee signing Marcos Leonardo, demonstrating better tactical fit and energy on the pitch. Following his strong performance against FC Sion, Arokodare has...

Payments to Syria easier now that country is off US terror list
Syria's removal from the United States list of state sponsors of terrorism has facilitated the resumption of international card payments in the country. While the U.S. has lifted various sanctions to ...

Maarten Spanjer has cancer: 'Not afraid to die at all'
Actor Maarten Spanjer has publicly revealed his cancer diagnosis but maintains a composed, philosophical outlook on his health. He will document his experiences with the illness and his ongoing treatm...

Former council member Guido Frankfurther finally becomes a tram driver after multiple attempts: "Powerful"
Former Amsterdam city council member Guido Frankfurther has successfully qualified as a tram driver after overcoming several previous setbacks, including failing an initial reaction test and needing p...

Number of young people on welfare rises for third year in a row
The number of people receiving welfare in the Netherlands has risen for three consecutive years, with the sharpest increase occurring among individuals under the age of 27. Factors such as mental heal...
New wave of complaints about real estate agents: 'Add 10,000 euros and the house is yours'
Vereniging Eigen Huis has received nearly 1,000 complaints regarding unethical behavior by real estate agents, including manipulative bidding practices and lack of transparency. The organization is no...

Looking forward to Telstar - Ajax: "I'm an Amsterdammer, but I have a Telstar heart"
Former players who have represented both Telstar and Ajax shared their personal insights and predictions ahead of the two clubs' upcoming Eredivisie meeting. While some favor the Amsterdam giants, oth...

Groundwater levels remain very low despite rain, and measures are still lacking
Groundwater levels in the Netherlands remain exceptionally low, causing concern for both ecosystems and infrastructure as usage continues largely unregulated. Experts are calling for stricter manageme...

Coalition still not discussing budget after hours of talks, new meeting on Friday
Leaders of the D66, VVD, and CDA coalition parties failed to reach an agreement on the national budget after lengthy talks on Thursday. Negotiations are scheduled to resume on Friday, with a final dea...
It is not the voter that has shifted right, but politics
Recent research suggests that Dutch voters have not become increasingly right-wing over time despite political narratives to the contrary. Mona Keijzer aims to attract right-wing voters with her new p...

Repression or care? Council divided on how to tackle drug user nuisance
The Amsterdam city council is debating how to manage the increasing nuisance caused by homeless drug users, struggling to balance repressive enforcement with necessary social care. Mayor Femke Halsema...

Cyclist in critical condition after collision with bus in Amsterdam
A cyclist is in critical condition after being struck by a bus at a crossing in Amsterdam-Noord on the Klaprozenweg. Emergency services, including a trauma helicopter, were dispatched to the scene, an...