Politics News in English
Latest politics headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Coalition was set for quick talks with opposition, but things have changed again
Prime Minister Rob Jetten has postponed scheduled budget talks with the opposition due to a trip to the United Nations in New York, pushing meetings until at least Friday. The delay serves to give the...
Selling dates from Israeli settlements is now a criminal offense
Starting September 22, the Netherlands has banned the trade of goods from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories following an International Court of Justice ruling. Violators face pot...
Keyboard warriors immediately took action over three contestants of color on 'De slimste mens'
The Dutch television quiz show De slimste mens returned with a season premiere featuring jury member Paulien Cornelisse, who spoke openly about her cancer treatment. The episode also triggered online ...
Senior official: prisoners to work during the day more often to tackle cell shortages
The Netherlands is facing a severe shortage of prison cells, causing thousands of convicted individuals to remain at liberty due to a lack of capacity. A top government official has warned that curren...
Charismatic leaders on the far left and right benefit from growing polarization in Germany
Germany's traditional political parties, particularly the CDU, are suffering historic losses as voters shift toward far-right and far-left alternatives amid rising polarization. The success of these f...
Parental contribution for near-free childcare in 2029 will be slightly higher
Parental contributions for childcare in the Netherlands will rise by 2029 due to higher-than-expected implementation costs for a new, near-free system. Although the government aims to boost employment...
Conference industry fears higher tourist tax: "We are driving away the wrong tourists"
Amsterdam plans to raise its tourist tax to 30 percent by 2031, prompting concerns from the conference industry that the move will drive away high-spending business travelers. While city officials arg...
Conference industry fears higher tourist tax: We are driving away the wrong tourists
Amsterdam is set to increase its tourist tax to 20 percent by 2031, prompting concerns from the conference industry that the move will drive away valuable business travelers. Industry leaders argue th...
Will Purmerend merge with Landsmeer, Oostzaan and Wormerland? ‘Before long, Amsterdam will extend just past De Jutter restaurant’
Purmerend has indicated an openness to merging with the neighboring municipalities of Landsmeer, Oostzaan, and Wormerland. However, local officials noted that there is currently no significant enthusi...
Healthcare authority warns of impending shortage of intensive youth care in Amsterdam and puts Levvel and municipality on notice
The Dutch Healthcare Authority has issued a formal warning to Amsterdam and care provider Levvel over a severe shortage of residential youth care services caused by a sudden entry freeze. The municipa...
Minister confirms: hospitals to perform late-term abortions
Dutch Minister of Public Health Sophie Hermans confirmed that several hospitals in the Netherlands will begin performing more late-term abortions for pregnancies between 22 and 24 weeks. The initiativ...
Hated childcare allowance to disappear: childcare to become much cheaper from 2029
The Dutch government has finalized legislation to replace the complex childcare benefit system with a more affordable model starting in 2029. This change aims to eliminate the administrative burden fo...
Dutch Safety Board sounds alarm: refugee children in emergency shelters living in unsafe conditions
The Dutch Safety Board has released a report warning that refugee children in emergency shelters face unsafe living conditions, including poor sanitation and limited privacy. The board has called on t...
Vaccination rate in Amsterdam stable, but concerns remain for babies and young children
Vaccination rates for school-aged children in Amsterdam remain stable and higher than in other major Dutch cities, though concerns persist as coverage for babies and toddlers continues to decline. Ald...
Victims confront official Jim B. over corruption charges: ‘Everything familiar is gone’
Former Amsterdam municipal official Jim B. is on trial for selling private citizen data that was used in at least 95 violent incidents, including multiple bombings and shootings. Victims testified abo...
School advice differs significantly by district: Southeast receives lower recommendations
Recent data reveals that students in Amsterdam's Zuidoost and Noord districts are significantly more likely to receive lower school recommendations than their test performance warrants. Additionally, ...
Abused monastery children denied compensation for forced labor on appeal
The Amsterdam Court of Appeal has rejected a compensation claim from a group of women who alleged they were subjected to forced labor at Good Shepherd convents between 1951 and 1979. The court ruled t...
Persveilig receives two new reports of journalists harassed at Malieveld
PersVeilig has received two more reports of journalists facing harassment and intimidation from protesters at Malieveld. The incidents involve reporters being filmed or physically assaulted, highlight...
Intelligence agencies still lack sufficient grip on the use of AI
The Dutch intelligence oversight committee, CTIVD, reports that national security agencies have insufficient control over their use of artificial intelligence and automated data analysis. To protect p...
CNN and other media outlets sue White House over revocation of press passes
CNN, MS NOW, and Politico have filed a lawsuit against the White House after the administration revoked their journalists' press credentials. The media organizations argue that the move violates const...
Russia threatens to seize multiple Western companies: bad news for Nestlé and Auchan supermarket
Russian President Vladimir Putin has placed the local assets of 81 Western companies, including Nestlé and Auchan, under the temporary management of an entity led by a government-linked official. Thi...
Rapid construction aims to tackle housing crisis, but shortage won't be solved overnight
Housing Minister Elanor Boekholt-O'Sullivan has introduced a 7 billion euro initiative to combat the national housing shortage by streamlining permit processes and supporting large-scale development p...
From Dam to Dom: fast cycle route from Amsterdam to Utrecht getting closer
Authorities have finalized an agreement to develop a fast bicycle route connecting Amsterdam and Utrecht along the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. The project, which was first proposed decades ago, involves si...
State secrets and a handwritten page by Marx: a look inside the IISG treasury
The International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam preserves a vast collection of global records on social movements, including the only original handwritten page of the Communist Manifesto. A...
State secrets and a handwritten page by Marx: a look inside the IISG treasury
For ninety years, the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam has preserved significant global archives, including the original handwritten page of the Communist Manifesto. The institut...
Cabinet wants half of all new homes to be prefabricated within four years
The Dutch government plans to require that half of all new housing projects be prefabricated within four years to accelerate construction and address labor shortages. Officials aim to simplify buildin...
Renewed Europaweg open for a month, traffic disruption not yet over
The Europaweg in Haarlem has reopened after a redesign that prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists over cars. Traffic disruptions persist due to ongoing construction at a new transport hub, with major p...
Part-timers must work more to solve shortages: 'It will only help a little'
Government plans to solve labor shortages by encouraging part-time employees to work more hours are being criticized by experts for lacking a coherent long-term strategy. Analysts argue that such meas...
The Greenhouse | The Netherlands makes a good impression abroad with vague climate plan
The Netherlands has published an official plan to phase out fossil fuels by 2050, receiving international recognition as a policy leader. Domestically, however, the report is being criticized for lack...
Why does Amsterdam have such a big crack problem? And five other questions
Amsterdam is grappling with increased public nuisance caused by crack users, a problem that experts attribute to the drug's addictive nature and a lack of effective medical treatment options. City off...