Politics News in English

Son of columnist Yesim Candan attacked with chain lock after football column in Het Parool

The son of columnist Yesim Candan was attacked and injured with a chain lock in Amsterdam on Tuesday evening. Candan believes the assault is linked to a critical column she recently wrote about the mu...

‘Divine Comedy’ is a biting indictment of the Iranian film industry, even its light tone is a middle finger

How Amsterdam elected a drunk homeless man as city councilor

Cornelis de Gelder, a homeless man known as Hadjememaar, was elected to the Amsterdam city council after receiving more than 13,000 votes. Despite his struggles with alcoholism and homelessness, his c...

Velsen installs temporary lighting along dark Kanaaldijk and sends bill to Rijkswaterstaat

The municipality of Velsen is installing temporary lighting along the Kanaaldijk because Rijkswaterstaat has failed to repair defective streetlights. Velsen plans to charge the national infrastructure...

Party leaders Pels and Van der Horst: ‘People just want shit sorted’

These are the key plans from the Amsterdam coalition agreement

These will be Amsterdam’s aldermen for the next four years: five new faces

The new governing coalition in Amsterdam, consisting of PRO Amsterdam and D66, has announced its nine proposed aldermen for the upcoming four-year term. The new executive board features five new faces...

Tax authority does not have to pay penalty payments to benefit parents for now

The Dutch Council of State has ruled that the government is temporarily exempt from paying penalty payments to victims of the childcare benefit scandal who are facing delays in compensation decisions....

Global economic growth slows this year and remains under pressure

The OECD reported on Wednesday that global economic growth is facing increasing pressure due to the conflict in the Middle East. This downward trend suggests that worldwide economic expansion will be ...

Minister on protests: 'We're not going to say: we don't like this protest, so end it'

The Dutch cabinet has concluded its review on how to handle demonstrations that escalate, with Justice Minister David van Weel emphasizing that no simple solution exists. He stated that the government...

75 municipal reports on demolition, tree felling and hospitality in Haarlem last week

The municipality of Haarlem processed 75 permit applications last week concerning demolition projects, tree felling, and catering establishments. Residents are encouraged to review the official notice...

Better support for Amsterdam prisoners returning to society

Amsterdam is providing guidance to inmates during their detention to increase the likelihood of a successful return to society. This initiative aims to support prisoners before their release to ensure...

Housing construction no longer taboo in Provincially Protected Landscapes: ‘Building allowed in the pink areas of North Holland’

Deputy Esther Rommel announced that housing construction is no longer prohibited in North Holland's Provincially Protected Landscapes. These designated areas, previously off-limits for development, ar...

Vast majority of parking fines in Amsterdam last year were justified, city says

Residents can stay in containers at Puikman in Castricum for three months longer

Residents of temporary container homes in Castricum have received a three-month lease extension, allowing them to stay at the Puikman location until September 30, 2026. The municipal council was infor...

Ban on face coverings at demonstrations uncertain after criticism

The Dutch cabinet is exploring alternatives to a proposed ban on face coverings at demonstrations following significant criticism of the plan. Ministers Pieter Heerma and David van Weel informed the H...

Arib: House of Representatives was not prepared for a pandemic

Former House Speaker Khadija Arib testified before a parliamentary inquiry committee that the Dutch House of Representatives was unprepared for a pandemic at the start of 2020. Her statements were mad...

45-euro waste discount: Is it too little? Beverwijk politicians wonder, but approve anyway

Politicians in Beverwijk have approved a plan to offer residents a maximum annual discount of 45 euros on waste disposal taxes as an incentive for recycling. Although some council members expressed co...

Significant increase in traffic violations this year

The Central Judicial Collection Agency (CJIB) reported a 13% increase in traffic violations in the Netherlands during the first four months of the year. Between January and April, nearly 2.6 million o...

Most Dutch people have an aversion to a political party

According to the National Election Study, over 80 percent of Dutch citizens feel a strong aversion toward at least one political party. This negative sentiment is most pronounced between opposing poli...

Local PRO parties' appeal rejected: GroenLinks-PvdA may be called PRO(gressive Netherlands)

The Dutch Council of State has dismissed an appeal from local political parties, allowing the GroenLinks-PvdA alliance to officially use the name Progressief Nederland (PRO). The court confirmed that ...

Rutte and NATO countries hold first NATO-Ukraine Council in Kyiv

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and ambassadors from all 32 member states are visiting Kyiv on Wednesday. The group is convening the first meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council to discuss ongoing coop...

Het Witte Huis pavilion on Zeeweg must leave by end of summer as Bloemendaal plans to sell site

The municipality of Bloemendaal has decided not to renew the lease for the property at Zeeweg 3 in Overveen, ending a long-term agreement dating back to 1969. Consequently, the pavilion Het Witte Huis...

Day three of COVID inquiry: should elderly care have received face masks earlier?

On the third day of public COVID-19 hearings, former House Speaker Khadija Arib and senior official Ernst van Koesveld appeared before the inquiry committee. The testimony focused on the management of...

Watch: COVID-19 hearing of former House Speaker Khadija Arib

Former House Speaker Khadija Arib appeared before the parliamentary inquiry committee on COVID-19 for the third day of public hearings. Arib led the Dutch House of Representatives during the first pha...

62 asylum seekers spent the night in a sports hall in 2e Exloërmond on Tuesday

Sixty-two asylum seekers spent Tuesday night in a sports hall in the village of 2e Exloërmond due to overcrowding at the Ter Apel registration center. The municipality of Borger-Odoorn provided the f...

Police officers affected by police violence videos: 'His face is going around the world'

Police officers in the Netherlands are facing increased scrutiny and emotional pressure due to social media videos that capture and amplify incidents of potential violence. A recent viral video of an ...

Cabinet considers measures for problematic protests: tougher and faster intervention during escalation

The Dutch cabinet is preparing measures to allow mayors and riot police to intervene more quickly and forcefully during demonstrations that seriously disrupt public order. Proposed changes to the nati...

Zelensky reports attacks on oil and St. Petersburg base

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced strikes on an oil terminal and a military base in Russia's St. Petersburg region, as well as a weapons plant in the Tambov region. These targets are lo...

Study: bailiffs can help identify problematic debt

A pilot program across six municipalities has shown that bailiffs can effectively identify individuals with problematic debts by referring them to local authorities. This proactive approach helps muni...