Politics News in English
Latest politics headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Election blog: GL/PvdA hold first joint talks and appoint scout
Following the municipal elections in Amsterdam, GroenLinks and PvdA have appointed Hendrik-Jan Biemond as a scout to lead coalition negotiations. Local party leaders from JA21, FvD, and Denk reacted t...
De Wever qualifies stance on buying Russian energy at EU summit
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever clarified his position on importing Russian energy ahead of an EU summit, stating he does not seek an immediate normalization of relations with Moscow. He specifie...
LIVE 2026 Municipal Elections | ADO cult hero Tom Beugelsdijk almost certain of a seat in politics: ‘It’s a good week for The Hague’
The 2026 Dutch municipal elections saw a national voter turnout of 54.1 percent, an increase from 51 percent in 2022. In The Hague, former professional footballer Tom Beugelsdijk is virtually certain ...
40 years of voting rights for migrants: how politics became a reflection of the city
On March 19, 1986, migrants without Dutch nationality were granted the right to vote in local elections in the Netherlands for the first time. This historical milestone marks nearly 40 years of politi...
Haarlem votes for more of the same: GL-PvdA and D66 together larger than before
Voters in Haarlem have opted for political continuity in the recent elections, leaving the city's power dynamics largely unchanged. Despite various parties campaigning for change, the combined influen...
Behind the scenes of the elections: the election results
This article explores the behind-the-scenes process that occurs after polling stations close during an election. It highlights the essential work performed by report controllers and election officials...
European gas price jumps 35% after attack on massive Middle East gas fields
European gas prices surged by 35% on Thursday morning following attacks on gas installations in the Middle East. The price spike was recorded at the Amsterdam gas exchange, which serves as the benchma...
Election results hold four lessons for national parties: the prime minister bonus and the ‘Lidewij effect’
National political parties are closely analyzing the results of local elections to identify key trends and lessons. With nearly all votes counted, four major takeaways have emerged, including insights...
Oil prices continue to rise: petrol and diesel more expensive again in the Netherlands
Oil prices have increased following attacks on major energy facilities in the Middle East, including a key gas production site in Qatar. This has led to a subsequent rise in the recommended prices for...
Richard de Mos: for some a reincarnation of F. Jacobse, for others a beacon of hope in dark times
Landslide victory for FVD in Velsen, Velsen Lokaal no longer largest, Liberaal Blauw and ChristenUnie retain seats
Forum voor Democratie (FVD) achieved a major victory in the Velsen municipal elections, overtaking Velsen Lokaal as the largest party. While Liberaal Blauw and ChristenUnie maintained their seats, pol...
Philip Morris tobacco shops illegally promote heated tobacco as healthier alternative to cigarettes
An undercover investigation by the journalistic platform Pointer revealed that tobacco shops supported by Philip Morris are illegally promoting heated tobacco as a healthier alternative to traditional...
LIVE 2026 Municipal Elections | Only results for Amsterdam and Hoorn still missing, multiple parties become largest out of nowhere
The preliminary results for the 2026 Dutch local elections are still pending for Amsterdam and Hoorn, with official counts expected by Thursday afternoon. Several new political parties have emerged as...
A new city council, a new spring. Hold onto that feeling
Following recent elections, 8,554 council members have been chosen to lead Dutch municipalities with a renewed sense of purpose and optimism. This new group of elected officials, comprising both newco...
GroenLinks-PvdA alliance loses many voters, D66 fails to capitalize everywhere, FvD big winner: These are the results in the Haarlem region
The GroenLinks-PvdA alliance lost a significant number of voters across several municipalities in the Haarlem region during the recent municipal elections. While the VVD remained the largest party in ...
Iran shells Qatar gas facilities again
Iranian missiles struck Qatar's primary gas production hub, Ras Laffan Industrial City, during the night between Wednesday and Thursday. This marks the second consecutive day of attacks by Iran on the...
NSC fails to win any council seats in five municipalities
The political party NSC failed to win a council seat in any of the five Dutch municipalities where it participated in local elections. According to preliminary results, the party did not secure repres...
D66 narrowly largest in Heemstede after tense election night, Eric Geels' party secures seat
D66 emerged as the largest party in the Heemstede municipal elections, narrowly defeating the VVD by a margin of 86 votes. The newcomer party Samen Sterk Heemstede (SSH) also secured its first seat in...
Since Trump’s re-election, the EU is only getting ‘woker’: ‘That was exactly not the intention’
In response to the re-election of Donald Trump and a global conservative shift, the European Union is pushing forward with progressive plans to protect women's and LGBTQ+ rights. While intended as a s...
King talks with Curaçao residents about geopolitical tensions
King Willem-Alexander and State Secretary Eric van der Burg met with residents of Curaçao to discuss geopolitical tensions involving Venezuela. The meeting focused on the impact of these regional pre...
Mostly losers in Beverwijk, only Vrij! and Forum win on the right. Mayor Smit: ‘It will be another four difficult years’
Local parties Samen Lokaal and Vrij! Beverwijk emerged as the primary winners in the Beverwijk municipal elections and are expected to lead coalition talks. Mayor Martijn Smit expressed concern that t...
Father beats son in neck-and-neck race in Zandvoort
In Zandvoort, the political party OPZ, led by Patrick Berg, defeated Jong Zandvoort, led by his son Bram Berg, by a narrow margin of 99 votes. The father described the neck-and-neck race against his s...
Macron calls for end to attacks on civilian infrastructure in Gulf region
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for an immediate halt to attacks on civilian infrastructure in the Gulf region following the shelling of gas production facilities in Iran and Qatar. Macron...
GroenLinks and D66 grow to 11 and 7 seats in Nijmegen
Preliminary election results in Nijmegen show that GroenLinks and D66 have increased their representation to 11 and 7 seats respectively. The data, reported by the ANP Verkiezingsdienst, confirms grow...
Victory for FVD and JA21 in Almere, loss for PVV
Forum for Democracy (FVD) and JA21 saw gains in the Almere municipal elections, with FVD increasing its representation to four seats and newcomer JA21 also securing four seats. Meanwhile, the PVV lost...
GroenLinks-PvdA wins seat in Utrecht and is the largest party
The GroenLinks-PvdA merged party has become the largest party in Utrecht, securing 14 seats according to preliminary election results. This represents a one-seat increase from the 13 seats the parties...
US considers deploying thousands of additional troops to Middle East
The United States government is considering the deployment of thousands of additional troops to the Middle East. According to reports from a U.S. official and other sources cited by Reuters, the poten...
WaPo: Pentagon wants $200 billion for war against Iran
The Pentagon has requested the White House to seek an emergency budget of over $200 billion from Congress for a potential war against Iran. According to The Washington Post, this information comes fro...
One sheds a tear, the other can only cheer: This is election night at the Castricum town hall
Lokaal Vitaal emerged as the clear winner in the municipal elections in Castricum, securing three more seats than its closest competitors. Party leader Roel Beems celebrated the significant victory wi...
VVD, D66 and GroenLinks-PvdA each win four seats in Bloemendaal: coalition likely to continue
The VVD, D66, and GroenLinks-PvdA parties each secured four seats in the Bloemendaal local elections, with the VVD remaining the largest party by a narrow ten-vote margin. A continuation of the curren...