Politics News in English

How Bolle Jos must have chuckled at our Justice Minister

'Beach bus' from Haarlemmermeer to Bloemendaal and Zandvoort meant to spread crowds, but Vijfhuizen fears more traffic

The province of Noord-Holland is launching a free 'Strandbus' pilot program between June 20 and August 30 to reduce coastal traffic from Haarlemmermeer and Haarlem to Bloemendaal and Zandvoort. While ...

Borneokade houseboat residents and municipality settle: swimming jetty to be shortened

Houseboat residents at the Borneokade in Amsterdam have reached a settlement with the municipality to shorten a popular swimming pier to mitigate noise and overcrowding. Under the agreement, the city ...

Cabinet not considering alternative to state pension plan, says Vijlbrief

Minister of Social Affairs Hans Vijlbrief announced that the Dutch cabinet will not seek an alternative to the scrapped plan for a faster increase in the state pension age (AOW). The decision follows ...

Halsema wants permanent batons for enforcement officers in central Amsterdam after positive trial evaluation

Hezbollah rejects ceasefire with Israel

Hezbollah has officially rejected a ceasefire proposal with Israel, according to reports from AFP citing internal sources. The militant group communicated this decision to the Lebanese government, sig...

Protesters storm Brussels parliament

Protesters against budget cuts in French-speaking education entered the Parliament of the French Community in Brussels on Thursday afternoon. The demonstrators set off smoke bombs, triggering fire ala...

Parties want clarification on Sjoerdsma's 'shadow deal'

Opposition parties are seeking clarification on an alleged "shadow deal" involving a 380 million euro increase in the development cooperation budget for Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma. In exchange for the ...

Only a miracle can save Haarlem's combined rail maintenance. 'Destruction of capital'

The Dutch House of Representatives has accepted a 50 million euro loss and extended passenger disruptions due to stalled rail maintenance in Haarlem. Despite criticism regarding the waste of public fu...

Jetten: first social security deal, then talk about money

Prime Minister Rob Jetten announced that the Dutch cabinet will only consider adjusting financial coalition agreements after reaching a substantive deal on social security with labor unions and the op...

Even without Hungarian blockade, Ukrainian EU membership is still far off

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced a deal on Wednesday to end his country's blockade of Ukraine's EU accession process. Despite this breakthrough, the article notes that Ukraine's actual...

Sources: UK and France finalizing plans to demine Hormuz

The United Kingdom and France have finalized plans for a naval mission to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz following potential agreements between the US and Iran. An international coalition is pr...

Hezbollah: Israel not safe as long as Lebanon is under attack

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem warned that northern Israel will remain unsafe as long as Lebanese villages are targeted by Israeli bombings. He called for a complete ceasefire and the withdrawal of Isra...

Spain condemns attack on UNIFIL base in Lebanon

Spain has condemned an attack on a UNIFIL peacekeeper base in Lebanon that resulted in the death of a Serbian peacekeeper and injuries to two Spanish soldiers. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez reported t...

House in North closed after discovery of over 700 nitrate fireworks and drug production equipment

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema has ordered the three-month closure of a residence in Amsterdam Noord after police discovered 735 nitrates and drug production equipment. During the raid, officers found ...

VVD clashes with Parliament over social security cuts

The Dutch VVD party faced opposition from both left and right-wing parties in the House of Representatives regarding proposed cuts to social security, specifically disability benefits. VVD MP Ingrid M...

Zandvoort Mayor: We should have seen youth nuisance at Pentecost coming

Mayor David Moolenburgh of Zandvoort admitted that the municipality should have better anticipated the youth nuisance that occurred during the warm Pentecost weekend. While emergency measures were eve...

Gieten again shelters asylum seekers from Ter Apel in sports hall

The municipality of Aa en Hunze will provide overnight accommodation for asylum seekers from the Ter Apel registration center at a sports hall in Gieten. This temporary arrangement, requested by the M...

D66: alternatives to budget cuts may come from outside social security

D66 MP Stephan Neijenhuis stated during a parliamentary debate that the party is open to exploring budget cuts outside of social security. This proposal serves as an alternative to measures previously...

EU announces €50 million support package for Armenia

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a 50 million euro support package for Armenia following a call with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The funding is intended to help Armenia...

Ouwehand steps down as leader of Party for the Animals, Teunissen takes over

Esther Ouwehand is stepping down as the leader and parliamentary chair of the Party for the Animals (PvdD), with Christine Teunissen set to take over the role. Ouwehand will remain in the House of Rep...

Jetten: Netherlands loses a unique voice in Lieke Marsman

Poet, writer, and philosopher Lieke Marsman passed away at the age of 35 on June 3 following a battle with a rare form of cancer. Outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Rob Jetten honored her memory, stating ...

Lebanese president: ceasefire with Israel could take effect within 24 hours

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced that a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon could take effect within 24 hours once all involved parties grant approval. The agreement requires the cooperation ...

Public Prosecution Service will not appeal Inez Weski case

Iran's Supreme Leader warns of division after war

Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has warned citizens about enemies attempting to sow division within the country following what he described as a lost war for its opponents. He called for nati...

CIDI protests at Ye concert in GelreDome

The Center for Information and Documentation Israel (CIDI) announced plans to protest American rapper Ye's upcoming concert at the GelreDome in Arnhem this Saturday. CIDI director Naomi Mestrum stated...

Hungarian prosecutors drop case against Budapest mayor over Pride

Hungarian prosecutors have dropped charges against the mayor of Budapest regarding his role in organizing a 2025 Pride march. The decision, announced on Thursday, ends the legal pursuit of the mayor f...

Reception scheme for Ukrainians extended but restricted

EU interior ministers meeting in Luxembourg have expressed support for extending the Temporary Protection Directive for Ukrainian refugees, though likely with new restrictions. The proposed extension ...

Klaver slams VVD: holding country hostage with breaking points

During a parliamentary debate on social security, Progressief Nederland leader Jesse Klaver criticized the VVD for prioritizing party interests over the country's needs. Klaver accused the liberal par...

Red Cross on Ter Apel situation: this cannot go on like this

The Red Cross has expressed serious concerns regarding the welfare of asylum seekers outside the reception center in Ter Apel. Director Harm Goossens stated that the situation is unacceptable as peopl...