Politics News in English
Latest politics headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Haarlem Volt leader compares treatment of Muslims to gas chambers and anti-Semitism; Holocaust expert calls it ‘inappropriate and unnecessary’
Volt councillor Chris IJsbrandy has faced criticism from the director of the National Holocaust Museum after comparing the current treatment of Muslims to Nazi gas chambers during a Haarlem council de...
Sevastopol in Crimea without power after Ukrainian attacks
The power supply in Sevastopol, Crimea, was disrupted following Ukrainian drone attacks on Wednesday. Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev reported that local air defenses intercepted nine drones before the ci...
Strike begins: no or limited public transport until 8:00 AM
Public transport workers in the Netherlands went on strike early Wednesday morning until 8:00 AM to protest government cuts to social security. The strike disrupted train, bus, tram, and metro service...
Can Tata receive 2 billion euros in government support? Summary proceedings on Wednesday
Opinion: The tourism debate should not just be about who pays the bill, but how to truly make the city more livable
Ukraine submits revised application for OECD membership
Ukraine has submitted a revised application to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), as announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky. The organization currently consists...
Insurer Allianz estimates 1,150 ships stuck in the Gulf
German insurer Allianz estimates that 1,150 ships remain stuck in the Persian Gulf despite a preliminary agreement to end the conflict between the United States and Iran. The total value of the strand...
District committee shocks coalition, rejects nomination of Vincent de Kom and Rosamunde Dors as board members
Parliament questions why number of local broadcasters is already fixed in law
The Dutch House of Representatives is debating a legislative proposal to consolidate over 200 local broadcasters into 80 regional outlets to strengthen the sector. Members of Parliament have questione...
US Senate votes against Iran war without Congressional approval
The United States Senate has passed legislation requiring Congressional approval for any military action against Iran, following a similar vote by the House of Representatives. While the bill aims to ...
Significant nuisance from homeless in Gijsbrecht van Aemstelpark: feces, drugs and masturbation
The municipality of Amsterdam has received 69 reports of structural nuisance in Gijsbrecht van Aemstelpark, where homeless individuals are living in tents and engaging in public drug use and sexual ac...
Haarlem opts for low-key New Year's Eve: no light show or fireworks from municipality or associations
Mayor Jos Wienen of Haarlem has announced that the city will have an understated New Year's Eve celebration for 2027. The municipality will not organize any fireworks or light shows, and local associa...
Parliament complains about infrastructure shortages, disagrees on solution
Political parties in the Dutch House of Representatives agree that additional funding is necessary for national infrastructure, yet they remain divided on where the money should come from. During a re...
Senate majority positive about housing control law
A majority of the Dutch Senate is in favor of a new law that provides the national government with more control over housing construction. During a debate on Tuesday, a coalition of parties including ...
Iranian president: Tehran will never negotiate on defense
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that the country's missile program is not included in any preliminary agreements with the United States. He emphasized that Tehran will never negotiate its...
De Jonge: FVD member is an exception in Provincial Council for expense claims
Martin Bos, an FVD member of the Zeeland Provincial Council, reportedly charged 117 dinners to taxpayer funds over a two-year period. Hugo de Jonge, the King's Commissioner, stated that this excessive...
Barn nitrogen emissions 9 percent lower due to buyout scheme
According to the Netherlands Court of Audit, buyout schemes for farmers have led to a 9 percent reduction in nitrogen emissions from stables over the last six years. While successive agriculture minis...
Are young people tough enough if the pressure of the 5.5 rule disappears? LAKS hands petition to Parliament. ‘This generation is being pampered too much’
The Dutch student organization LAKS has presented a petition with 38,000 signatures to the House of Representatives calling for the removal of the mandatory 5.5 average grade for final exams. The orga...
Waiting times for disability benefits continue to rise
The waiting list for disability benefit assessments in the Netherlands has increased, with over 11,000 people waiting longer than six months by the end of 2025. This is a significant rise compared to ...
Province takes Noorder IJplas wind turbine case to Council of State
Haarlem Court of Audit orders investigation into rat nuisance; ‘effective and structural approach’ potentially at stake
The Haarlem Audit Office has launched an investigation into the city's management of rat infestations to determine if current control efforts are effective. The probe focuses on whether unclear divisi...
Dutch prosecutors demand life sentence for Rwanda genocide suspect
The Dutch Public Prosecution Service has demanded a life sentence for 66-year-old Eugène N. for his alleged involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. N. is accused of participating in the massacre of...
Denmark joins Hormuz coalition
Denmark has officially joined the maritime security coalition in the Strait of Hormuz established by France and the United Kingdom. Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus announced that the Danish contribution ...
De Jonge hopes lessons will be learned from COVID crisis response
Former Dutch Health Minister Hugo de Jonge is scheduled to testify before the parliamentary inquiry committee on July 10 and September 3 regarding the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. D...
Alderman Hendrik Jan Biemond (Finance) presents €6.9 million bill for Afis just before debate
A pedestrian boulevard on Damrak without cars? Readers react: ‘This will become a tourist carnival’
Broke. And the month isn't over yet. What now? Get free money!
A new report from Nibud highlights that an increasing number of Dutch households are facing financial difficulties. The institute is calling for political action on affordable housing and healthcare w...
A women's quota only polishes the statistics here
The Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) is implementing a women's quota to increase the percentage of female students in its Aerospace Engineering faculty from 17% to 30%. While critics argue su...
Hardenberg imposes new fine as asylum center remains open
The municipality of Hardenberg has increased the daily fine for the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) to 64,000 euros because an asylum center remains open against orders. The p...
Tehran residents given days off for Khamenei's funeral
Iranian authorities have granted residents of Tehran three days off for the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei, who ruled Iran for 37 years, was killed in an American-Israeli attack in late F...