Politics News in English
Latest politics headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Zelensky: US and Russia want Ukraine to give up Donbas
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in an interview with AFP that both the United States and Russia are pressuring Kyiv to cede the Donbas region to end the war immediately. Zelensky emphasi...
Amsterdam asks government for help tackling moldy homes
Amsterdam Housing Alderman Zita Pels has requested support from the Dutch national government to address the issue of mold in local residential properties. The city aims to ensure healthy and mold-fre...
NU+ | How Prince Andrew was increasingly backed into a corner
Former Prince Andrew has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, marking a significant escalation in a long-standing criminal investigation. The arrest follows years of controversy ...
Police seek contact with Prince Andrew's (former) security guards
The Metropolitan Police are seeking to contact current and former security officers who worked closely with Prince Andrew as part of an ongoing investigation. Authorities are asking these individuals ...
US now also eases environmental rules on mercury emissions
The Trump administration is relaxing environmental regulations concerning the emission of mercury and other hazardous air pollutants. According to the EPA, the policy change is intended to help older ...
State Secretary advises parents to keep children away from play sand
Dutch State Secretary Judith Tielen has advised parents and organizations to prevent children from playing with play sand due to concerns over potential asbestos contamination. While no formal ban has...
Why the Van Berkel case is also making other ministers nervous
Nathalie van Berkel of the D66 party has withdrawn as the designated State Secretary of Finance and as a Member of Parliament after it was revealed that her CV contained incorrect information. This de...
Coffee with Tim Kuijsten (ChristenUnie): Not becoming a city where people live past each other
Tim Kuijsten, the lead candidate for the ChristenUnie in Amsterdam, aims to reclaim the party's city council seat by focusing on strengthening community institutions like churches and neighborhood cen...
Moldy homes: many reports are addressed but not resolved
An independent report on Amsterdam's mold eradication program reveals that while inspections have become faster, structural issues in many homes remain unresolved or receive only temporary fixes. Resi...
Defeat for Trump: US Supreme Court rules tariffs unlawful
The US Supreme Court has ruled that import tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump are unlawful, stating that the authority to set such duties belongs to Congress. While the ruling does not affect t...
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...
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...
EU steel exports to US fall 30 percent due to high import tariffs
Steel exports from the European Union to the United States dropped by 30 percent during the second half of last year compared to the same period in 2024. This significant decline is attributed to the ...
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...
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...
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...
Coalition will miss its own nitrogen targets with current plans
The Dutch coalition government's current plans are insufficient to meet its own nitrogen reduction targets by 2035, according to calculations released by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agenc...
Everyone worse off under coalition plans, especially lower incomes
Proposed coalition plans from D66, VVD, and CDA are expected to reduce the purchasing power of all households, with lower-income earners facing the most significant impact. The decline is primarily at...
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...
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...
Berlinale proves political rows smolder longer at film festivals without Hollywood stars
The 76th Berlinale film festival faced a notable absence of Hollywood stars, which caused media attention to shift toward a persistent political controversy regarding the Gaza conflict. Tensions were ...
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...
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...