Politics News in English
Latest politics headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Transport sector dissatisfied with government support package
The Dutch transport sector, represented by TLN, has criticized the government's support package for high fuel prices as being insufficient to cover rising costs. Although road taxes for trucks will be...
How the largest ship ever built in the Netherlands—mammoth tanker Melania—sustained damage in the North Sea Canal in 1968
In 1968, the Melania, then the largest ship ever built in the Netherlands, sustained damage while navigating the North Sea Canal. The article provides historical context on the strategic importance of...
The Dutch want nuclear energy and this new state company will manage it, 100 people already employed
A majority of Dutch citizens now support the expansion of nuclear energy, leading the government to establish a new state-owned company to manage the construction of new power plants. The organization...
New Heemskerk event policy delayed: municipality to finalize plans after summer recess
The municipality of Heemskerk has delayed the development of its new event policy until after the summer recess. This postponement persists despite significant local concerns regarding the impact on f...
Herbert on energy package: No one thinks it's finished yet
Minister Heleen Herbert of Economic Affairs and Climate stated that the government’s work on the energy measures package is not yet complete. She emphasized that weekly discussions with various sect...
Lebanese president: talks with Israel must end occupation
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stated that negotiations with Israel must focus on ending hostilities and the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon. Aoun has appointed former ambassador Simon Karam to...
Kremlin pleased with Bulgarian election results
The Kremlin has welcomed the election victory of Rumen Radev in Bulgaria. Radev is a eurosceptic politician who seeks to strengthen ties with Russia and opposes continued support for Ukraine.
GL-PvdA deems energy package insufficient, announces plans
Jesse Klaver, leader of the GroenLinks-PvdA coalition, has criticized the government's energy compensation package as insufficient for ordinary citizens. He announced that his party will soon present ...
Repair of Leidsevaart quay begins April 28
Restoration work on the quay wall at the Prins Hendrikbrug over the Leidsevaart in Haarlem is scheduled to begin on April 28. The project will result in temporary closures for both motorized road traf...
EU leaders congratulate Radev on Bulgarian election victory
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa congratulated Rumen Radev on his victory in Bulgaria's parliamentary elections. The leaders shared thei...
EU unveils plans to tackle energy crisis including remote work and efficient driving
The European Union is proposing measures such as remote work and fuel-efficient driving to address the current energy crisis. According to internal documents, the plans also involve coordinating aviat...
Brussels calls talks with incoming Hungarian government constructive
The European Commission described initial talks with the incoming Hungarian government as constructive and positive. These discussions serve as a starting point for releasing EU funds intended for the...
Environmental groups find government energy measures insufficient
Dutch environmental organizations Milieudefensie and Natuur & Milieu have criticized the cabinet's energy measures for failing to significantly reduce dependence on oil and gas. The groups argue that ...
Iran: US not taking negotiations seriously
Iran has accused the United States of failing to take diplomatic peace efforts seriously, citing violations such as the blockade of Iranian ports and an attack on an Iranian vessel. Tehran also claime...
Housing Minister to accelerate home construction and relax rental laws
Housing Minister Elanor Boekholt-O'Sullivan has proposed plans to accelerate housing construction and relax rental laws to increase the available housing supply. These proposals were detailed in a for...
Cabinet allocates over 950 million euros for energy measures
The Dutch cabinet has allocated over 950 million euros to mitigate rising energy prices for citizens, businesses, and farmers. The package includes 627 million euros in direct aid and 340 million euro...
Mileage allowance up, motor vehicle tax down: these are the government's energy measures
The Dutch cabinet is increasing the tax-free kilometer allowance for employees by two cents while significantly reducing motor vehicle taxes for vans and trucks. These changes will be financed by redu...
Minister adjusts rules: rents allowed to rise again in many cases
Minister of Housing Elanor Boekholt-O’Sullivan is relaxing rent moderation rules, which will lead to higher housing costs for many tenants. The changes will allow landlords to increase rents for var...
Cabinet allocates millions to break housing market deadlock and accommodate landlords
The Dutch government is allocating 156 million euros to resolve housing project delays caused by a shortage of municipal staff. Furthermore, 90 million euros will be invested to streamline and acceler...
Confidence in Willem-Alexander and Máxima rises again
Public confidence in King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima has increased for the second consecutive year. A survey of 22,000 members by the EenVandaag Opiniepanel shows a continuing upward trend in ...
Oil prices rise after new closure of Strait of Hormuz
Oil prices rose on Monday morning following Iran's decision to re-close the Strait of Hormuz. This follows a brief period on Friday when the blockade was lifted, which had temporarily caused energy pr...
Travel allowance won't increase everywhere after government intervention: ‘It’s just costs’
The Dutch cabinet plans to increase the tax-free travel allowance from 23 to 25 cents per kilometer. However, many employers are expected to maintain current rates rather than raising actual reimburse...
Tobacco tax revenue falls as more people buy abroad
The Dutch government's revenue from tobacco excise tax fell by 15% to 2.6 billion euros in 2025. According to CBS data, the decline is driven by a decrease in smoking and an increase in consumers purc...
Explosion at home on Leeuw van Vlaanderenstraat in West
An explosion occurred early this morning at a residence on Leeuw van Vlaanderenstraat in Amsterdam's Kolenkitbuurt district. The street has a history of multiple explosions, leading to previous securi...
RIVM proposes ban on cigarette filters over microplastics
The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has proposed a ban on cigarette filters to reduce microplastic pollution. The institute states that removing filters would ben...
Toos & Henk - April 20
Cartoonist Paul Kusters shares his unique perspective on current events through the daily comic strip Toos & Henk. The strip is published from Monday through Saturday.
China conducts drills in western Pacific in response to Japan
China has deployed warships to the western Pacific Ocean for military exercises in response to Japan's involvement in multi-national drills near the Philippines. These maneuvers follow large-scale nav...
Major renovation of Verweyhal may start this year: 'We will do everything we can'
Renovation of the dilapidated Verweyhal in Haarlem may begin as early as this year, according to Councilor Eva de Raadt. During a city council meeting on Thursday, officials expressed a commitment to ...
Oil crisis plan activated for the first time, but most won't notice
The Dutch government has activated the first phase of the National Crisis Plan for Oil to prepare for potential shortages stemming from unrest in the Middle East. While the plan officially begins on M...
Panis on rejection of FVD in Velsen formation: 'Parties are being too emotional'
Tommy Panis of the Forum voor Democratie (FVD) criticized other political parties in Velsen for excluding his party from the local coalition formation. He claimed that the other parties are prioritizi...