Netherlands News in English
Dutch national news translated to English. Politics, economy, housing, immigration, and more for expats and internationals.
Two cars damaged by fire in Haarlem, arson not ruled out
On Monday evening, a car caught fire on Polenstraat in Haarlem, which also damaged a nearby vehicle. Authorities are investigating the incident and have not ruled out arson as a potential cause.
Dutch shop slightly less online in 2025: 35.7 billion spent
Dutch consumers spent 35.7 billion euros on online purchases last year, representing a 1 percent decrease compared to the previous year. This slight decline reflects a shift in shopping habits across ...
Consumers spend less online on travel and events
Dutch consumers are spending less money online on travel and events according to the industry association Thuiswinkel.org. While overall online shopping remains high, there has been a notable shift in...
Osdorp Garden Centre leaves city to make way for housing
Tuincentrum Osdorp is set to move out of Amsterdam's Nieuw-West district to make way for a new residential neighborhood and retail space. The popular 66-year-old family business expects to relocate to...
Brain injury after electric cargo bike collision: Driver admits drinking six beers but blames scooter rider
A driver of an electric cargo bike caused a collision with a scooter rider that resulted in the victim suffering serious brain injuries. Although the driver admitted to consuming six specialty beers b...
Inflation rises to 2.7 percent in March due to higher energy prices
Inflation in the Netherlands rose to 2.7% in March, up from 2.4% in February, according to preliminary figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). The increase in the cost of living was primarily drive...
Zeeburger Tunnel (A10) closed due to technical problems
The Zeeburgertunnel in Amsterdam is closed in the northern direction due to technical problems, causing traffic disruptions on the A10 motorway. Motorists traveling toward Zaanstad are advised to deto...
Council approves Geesterheem and housing at De Kuil: 'Want residents to be able to stay in Uitgeest, even as they age and need care'
The municipal executive has approved plans by ViVa! Zorggroep and developer De Realisatie to build the new Geesterheem care facility and additional housing at De Kuil. The project is designed to ensur...
Shell companies, fake invoices and obscured transactions: how drug money is laundered in personal budget healthcare
Organized crime is increasingly using the Dutch personal budget (PGB) healthcare sector as a conduit for laundering drug money. Criminals exploit fragmented supervision through the use of phantom comp...
MPs ask question after question about Haarlem track maintenance. The only one that matters: is it still worth it?
Dutch Members of Parliament have submitted 38 questions to State Secretary Annet Bertram regarding the canceled joint railway maintenance in Haarlem. The project's failure has resulted in a 60 million...
Theater performance about Tata Steel at Verwey Museum Haarlem
The Verwey Museum Haarlem is hosting a new theater performance titled 'Onder de rook van de Hoogovens – een avond aan de toog' about Tata Steel. This production follows the previous photo exhibition...
Recovery plan for childcare benefit parents poorly received: 'Calm is needed'
Parents and advocacy groups affected by the Dutch childcare allowance scandal are calling for an extension of the April 1 deadline to register for additional compensation. They argue that many victims...
Bloemendaal ignores province's enforcement request, takes no action against Vogelenzang campsite construction
The municipality of Bloemendaal has rejected a request from the province of North Holland to take enforcement action against fixed structures at Camping Vogelenzang. The province sought measures again...
Drought, heat and wet feet: 'Adapting to climate change is not a choice'
A new advisory report to the Dutch cabinet emphasizes that adapting to climate change is mandatory rather than optional. While technical solutions may provide short-term relief, the report suggests th...
Royal couple saddened by death of former president Santokhi
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima expressed their condolences following the death of former Surinamese President Chan Santokhi. The Dutch royal couple shared warm memories of the leader in a sta...
Ameland recounts all votes over one vote
The Dutch island of Ameland will recount all municipal election votes after discovering a one-vote discrepancy at a polling station. Officials recorded 355 ballots despite only 354 voting passes being...
Tennis player De Jong eliminated in Marrakech first round
Dutch tennis player Jesper de Jong has been eliminated in the first round of the ATP tournament in Marrakech. He lost in straight sets to Germany's Yannick Hanfmann with a score of 7-6 (6) 6-4.
Jetten: Santokhi meant a lot to Suriname and the Netherlands
Former Surinamese President Chan Santokhi passed away unexpectedly on Monday at the age of 67 in Paramaribo. Prime Minister Rob Jetten honored his memory, stating that Santokhi significantly impacted ...
North Holland again calls for action on ‘crucial’ IJmuiden pumping station
The province of Noord-Holland has renewed its call for the Dutch government to fund the renovation of the crucial pumping station and discharge complex in IJmuiden. Deputy Anouk Gielen warned that the...
Escaped psychiatric patient arrested in Leeuwarden
A TBS patient who escaped from Groningen on Monday morning was arrested later that evening in Leeuwarden. A special police tracking team apprehended the individual on a public road. Authorities have n...
Deceased person found in parking lot at Nieuw-Vennep station
A deceased person was found on Tuesday evening at a parking lot near the Nieuw-Vennep train station. Local police discovered the body around 7:40 PM and have since initiated an investigation into the ...
Police could soon search social media more easily under cabinet plans: ‘Could be dangerous’
The Dutch government has proposed new legislation that would allow police to monitor citizens' social media accounts more easily to help prevent riots. While the cabinet views the proposal as a necess...
Deceased person found in parking lot at Nieuw-Vennep station
A deceased person was discovered in a parking lot near the Nieuw-Vennep train station on Monday evening. Police are currently investigating the cause of death and the identity of the individual. The a...
Mayor of Gorinchem wants ministry to look into proxy voting
Mayor Reinie Melissant of Gorinchem has requested that the Dutch Ministry of the Interior investigate the fraud susceptibility of proxy voting. The request follows allegations of voter fraud during mu...
North Holland prioritizes health in provincial policy
The North Holland provincial council has approved a new policy framework that integrates public health considerations into all future provincial decision-making. The measure passed with a significant ...
Entrepreneurs affected by fire find support in each other and receive help through crowdfunding
Hospitality entrepreneurs affected by a devastating fire at Nieuwe Hemweg in Amsterdam-West are supporting each other while seeking financial aid through crowdfunding. The blaze destroyed two building...
Air ambulance deployed for injured cyclist after head-on collision in Hoofddorp
Two cyclists were seriously injured following a head-on collision at Mercuriusplein near the Hoofddorp railway station on Monday afternoon. Emergency responders, including a trauma helicopter team, we...
Dimitry van den Berg (50), designated D66 Heemstede alderman, is a father, artist, and politician in one: 'I am action-oriented, so great things will surely happen'
Dimitry van den Berg, a 50-year-old council member from Haarlem, has been nominated as the new candidate alderman for D66 in Heemstede. If coalition negotiations are successful, he will succeed Anneke...
Girl on bicycle run over by car at Hillegom roundabout
A girl on a bicycle was seriously injured on Monday afternoon after colliding with a car at a roundabout on Weeresteinstraat in Hillegom. The road was closed for several hours following the incident t...
First openly gay politician Coos Huijsen sees progress stalled
Coos Huijsen, the first openly gay politician in the Netherlands, reflects on the stalled state of LGBTQ+ emancipation fifty years after his own pioneering efforts. Alongside current MP Thom van Campe...