Politics News in English

EU chief Von der Leyen thanks 'statesman' Starmer

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her gratitude to outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer following his resignation announcement on Monday. Starmer decided to step dow...

Auditor calls out Beverwijk: millions in budget fail to follow rules. Aagtenpark remediation is mandatory

An auditor has flagged the municipality of Beverwijk for failing to properly account for millions of euros in remediation costs for Aagtenpark in its budget. The issue arose because the remediation pl...

Brahim Abid becomes Utrecht alderman after withdrawing from Nieuw-West: ‘I should have sent a note to the district committee’

British Prime Minister Starmer resigns

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced his resignation from office. He submitted his formal resignation to King Charles on Monday morning after holding a press conference at 10 Downing Stre...

Zeelandic-Flemish concerns over nuclear power plants and other energy plans

The Biervliet Village Council in Terneuzen has expressed concerns over national government plans to potentially build two new nuclear power plants in the Paulinapolder area. Additionally, grid operato...

PRO Bloemendaal leader Harold Koster enters firm opposition after failing to join coalition: ‘That was weak of D66’

Harold Koster, leader of the PRO Bloemendaal party, announced his party will move into a strong opposition role after being excluded from the new local coalition. Despite retaining four seats in the r...

Retirees can withdraw part of pension as lump sum from 2029, but it is not without risk

Starting in 2029, retirees in the Netherlands will be allowed to withdraw a lump sum of up to 10 percent of their total pension pot upon retirement. While this provides immediate financial flexibility...

Iranian delegation returns to Tehran after negotiations with US

An Iranian delegation has returned to Tehran following 18 hours of negotiations with the United States in Switzerland. The discussions, held at a resort near Lucerne, aimed to finalize details of a pr...

Watch pediatrician’s COVID hearing: why did schools have to close?

A Dutch parliamentary inquiry is holding hearings this week to investigate the reasons behind school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, pediatrician Károly Illy and former Education Mi...

Five parties conclude coalition negotiations in Rotterdam

Five political parties in Rotterdam have concluded their negotiations to form a new city government. The coalition agreement is expected to be officially presented this Friday after final details were...

Prison sentence for former South Korean minister over 2024 power grab

Former South Korean Justice Minister Park Sung-jae has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for his involvement in the martial law declaration of late 2024. The sentence follows his role in the power ...

Sugar tax pushes prices up: Beer soon more expensive due to soft drink tax

The Dutch government's proposed sugar tax for 2030 could lead to significant price increases for both soft drinks and beer. Alcohol excise duties may rise alongside the sugar tax, potentially adding u...

Ombudsman critical of government handling of Groningen recovery

National Ombudsman Reinier van Zutphen criticized the Dutch government for failing to learn from mistakes in the recovery operations for Groningen and North Drenthe. Investigations into agencies like ...

From burning hay bales to stalled construction: why the nitrogen crisis is so explosive

The Dutch cabinet is expected to present a political solution to the country's ongoing nitrogen crisis this week. The article explores why the issue remains highly sensitive and whether the new measur...

Attiya Gamri (PRO) leaves Bloemendaal politics after exclusion from coalition: 'I have always been very clear about that'

Attiya Gamri, the lead candidate for the PRO party, has announced her departure from Bloemendaal politics after her party was excluded from the new governing coalition. The former alderman declined to...

Velsen to tackle reports of discrimination faster: 'You may think differently, but not discriminate'

The municipality of Velsen is increasing its efforts to combat discrimination, aiming to address reports more quickly and ensure all residents can participate in society. Alderman Gideon Nijemanting s...

Tension over close election result in Colombia

Tensions have risen in Cali, Colombia, following a close presidential election result. Protesters clashed with riot police, who used tear gas to disperse the crowd after American flags were burned and...

Amsterdam must redesign its financial system, which could cost millions

Right-wing pro-Trump candidate wins Colombian elections

Right-wing lawyer and Donald Trump supporter Abelardo de la Espriella has won the decisive second round of Colombia's presidential elections. With over 99 percent of the votes counted, he leads with 4...

Ramiro Valdés, key figure in Cuban revolution, dies

Ramiro Valdés, a key figure in the Cuban revolution and close associate of Fidel and Raúl Castro, has passed away at the age of 94. His death was announced by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, who...

Advice: aid to partner countries needed to control migration

The Dutch Advisory Council on Migration and the Advisory Council on International Affairs advise that better management of migration requires stronger partnerships with non-EU countries. These collabo...

Millions of barrels transported through Strait of Hormuz despite Iran's claim

Millions of barrels of oil were transported through the Strait of Hormuz this weekend despite claims from Iran that it had closed the waterway. Shipping data reported by Bloomberg confirmed the contin...

Iranian media: Iran leaves talk location after Trump threat

The Iranian delegation has reportedly left the negotiation site in Switzerland following threats from U.S. President Donald Trump. Iranian media outlets Tasnim and Fars report that the departure serve...

Hezbollah leader rejects Israeli security zone in Lebanon

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has rejected the implementation of an Israeli security zone in southern Lebanon. His statement follows comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who declare...

Ethiopian PM Abiy's party wins 90 percent of seats

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his Prosperity Party (PP) have won the parliamentary elections with a significant majority. According to the electoral commission, the party secured 90 percent ...

Trump announces British PM Starmer is resigning

Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is resigning from his position. The U.S. president provided no further details or evidence to support his announcement.

Uitgeest seeks input for renewal of participation policy

The municipality of Uitgeest is seeking input from its residents to help shape a renewed participation policy. Through a questionnaire, the local government aims to gather knowledge and experiences to...

Trump threatens new attacks on Iran over Hezbollah's actions

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to launch new attacks against Iran if Hezbollah continues its strikes on northern Israel. Iran has previously demanded that Israel cease its military operati...

Schouten: powerful that prime minister apologized

Rotterdam Mayor Carola Schouten has praised Prime Minister Rob Jetten's recent apology to the Moluccan community as "powerful." The apology, delivered on Sunday, addressed historical grievances within...

Being a council member costs Oscar Boeder two days a week on top of his day job: 'You shouldn't do it for the compensation'

Oscar Boeder, the CDA group chairman in Heemstede, balances his political duties with his professional roles as a bailiff and substitute judge. He emphasizes that the commitment requires approximately...