Politics News in English
Latest politics headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Environmental groups want the cabinet to scrap Schiphol plans despite positive advice
Environmental groups are urging the cabinet to abandon its current Schiphol airport noise reduction plans despite receiving a positive recommendation from the Council of State. Activists argue the gov...
Climate goals remain out of reach: 'Momentum lost in the transition to sustainable energy'
The Netherlands is currently off track to meet its 2030 climate goals, with the PBL projecting a significant shortfall in greenhouse gas reduction. Experts warn that without an aggressive new policy p...
PBL climate advisor: burning Malaysian rainforest unnecessary for climate goals
The Netherlands' climate agency, PBL, has stated that burning wood pellets from rainforests is unnecessary for reaching climate neutrality. Meanwhile, the country is struggling to meet its ambitious e...
Former MP and councilor Tara Singh Varma (78) has died
Tara Singh Varma, a former Amsterdam city councilor and the first woman with a migrant background to serve in the Dutch parliament, has died at age 78. She was a prominent advocate for minority women ...
Former council member Tara Singh-Varma (78) has passed away
Tara Singh-Varma, the first woman with a migration background to serve in the Dutch House of Representatives, has died at age 78. She was a prominent politician in Amsterdam who participated in the Bi...
FNV demands 5.5 percent wage increase and warns cabinet again about WIA and unemployment benefits
Dutch trade unions FNV and CNV are demanding wage increases of up to 5.5 percent, citing inflation and corporate profitability as key drivers. Additionally, the FNV is pressuring the cabinet to scrap ...
Opinion from Amsterdam's Research and Statistics department: ‘The image of 2025 as a record year for migration in Amsterdam is incorrect’
Amsterdam's Research and Statistics department clarifies that 2025 was not a record year for migration, as reported figures were inflated by administrative backlogs cleared for other municipalities. B...
Schiphol shrinkage a step closer, but protection for local residents needs to be clearer
The Dutch government has proposed capping annual flight movements at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol at 478,000 to reduce noise pollution for local residents by 2029. While the Council of State supports th...
Dyantha (15) delivers speech from the throne during Youth Prinsjesdag: "We are finally being heard"
Young representatives from the Unicef youth panel presented a speech to the Dutch House of Representatives during Youth Prinsjesdag to demand that policymakers listen to the concerns of the younger ge...
The die is cast: Schiphol will definitively shrink and noise limits will finally be enforced
The Council of State has approved government plans to implement stricter noise regulations and flight caps at Schiphol Airport starting November 1. These measures aim to significantly reduce noise pol...
What it’s like to be a designated survivor minister: I watched the Speech from the Throne on TV, with some nuts
Every year, the Dutch Council of Ministers designates one minister to stay away from the King's Speech to ensure government continuity in the event of an emergency. It has been revealed that for years...
Israeli minister seeks to revoke citizenship of Gaza documentary filmmakers
Israeli minister Miki Zohar is seeking to revoke the citizenship of filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor after their documentary exposed military practices in Gaza, including the use of AI for tar...
New climate lawsuit against the State: Malaysian rainforest disappears into Dutch power plants
Comité Schone Lucht has launched a lawsuit against the Dutch government, claiming that wood from Malaysian rainforests is being incorrectly certified as sustainable biomass for energy plants. Despite...
Forecast: Left-wing opposition bloc wins Swedish election
The left-wing opposition bloc holds a narrow projected majority in the Swedish general election with 176 seats against the right-wing's 173. Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson has signaled h...
Mission Impossible for the cabinet? Here is why Budget Day can still be a success
The Dutch cabinet faces a challenging lead-up to Prinsjesdag due to political infighting and a lack of support from opposition parties in the Tweede Kamer. Despite these difficulties, there are severa...
Trump dismisses plan to slow down AI development: 'Wants to maintain lead'
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected calls to slow down artificial intelligence development, insisting that maintaining a technological lead over China is a national priority. While industr...
The greenhouse | To govern is to foresee, and that certainly applies to climate policy
Decades after early parliamentary warnings, climate change remains a complex political issue where personal experience with environmental disasters does not consistently guarantee public support for c...
Is the construction of the East Bridge up for political debate? Not for PRO, VVD has doubts
Debate over the construction of the Oostbrug in Amsterdam has reignited after budget estimates for the project rose significantly from 325 million to 850 million euros. While some political parties ca...
'Less talking about each other': that call says a lot about the culture in The Hague
Former mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb calls for a cultural shift in The Hague, arguing that politicians spend too much time on petty conflicts rather than addressing significant societal issues. Political repo...
Minister Heleen Herbert: ‘To me, negotiation is synonymous with political failure’
Heleen Herbert has transitioned from the corporate world to serve as the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate in the Netherlands. In a recent interview, she discussed her political philosophy, inc...
Young and old joined climate march: "Urgency is high after a summer of disasters"
Over 40,000 people marched through Amsterdam today to demand reduced fossil fuel usage following a summer of climate-related disasters. The protest drew a diverse group of participants, including clim...
They joined the climate march in Amsterdam: 'The climate alarmist has been completely co-opted by the right'
Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through the center of Amsterdam on Saturday to demand faster government action on climate policy. Participants expressed concerns about recent extreme weathe...
Income tax for workers to rise by 4 billion euros net
Dutch workers are set to face a net income tax increase of 4 billion euros next year despite a partial mitigation package. While the overall purchasing power is expected to decline slightly, retirees ...
Take action on climate change now, parliament concluded 30 years ago
Thirty years ago, a Dutch parliamentary committee investigated climate change and concluded that urgent, precautionary action was necessary to mitigate future risks. Despite accurately identifying sol...
Thousands join climate march, organizations urge cabinet to act: 'We won't meet goals with this policy'
Approximately 40,000 people marched through Amsterdam on Saturday to demand more ambitious climate action from the Dutch government. Organized by the Climate Crisis Coalition, the event urged official...
Thousands turn out for climate march: "Holy moly, stop with oil"
Thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets of Amsterdam today to demand an end to fossil fuel reliance. Organized by a coalition of environmental groups, the protest spanned from Dam Squar...
Dam Square fills for climate march to Museumplein as protesters carry signs about heat records and data centers
Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched from Dam Square to Museumplein in Amsterdam to demand stronger government action on climate change and the phasing out of fossil fuels. The event, organized ...
Tijn (15) was recruited for a bomb attack via Snapchat: 'They threatened him severely'
A 15-year-old boy from Amsterdam was recruited via Snapchat to detonate an explosive at a residence in the Bollenstreek. The incident caused significant damage and has left the boy's family in shock a...
Free litter pickers, screenings and vaccinations: D66 wants all Dutch citizens to reach the age of 90
D66 parliamentary leader Jan Paternotte has proposed a national goal for all Dutch citizens to be able to live to a healthy age of 90 by 2040. To achieve this, he suggests implementing a health screen...
