Politics News in English

Minister: several hundred still want repatriation from Middle East

Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen reported that several hundred Dutch travelers are still awaiting repatriation from the Middle East, primarily from the United Arab Emirates. Dozens more remain str...

Oil prices remain stubbornly high due to war (and that is exactly what Iran wants)

Global oil prices remain high despite dozens of countries releasing strategic reserves for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine. Experts predict that oil market uncertainty will persist until ...

Between Art and Choice: party leaders create political street art

Political party leaders in Amsterdam are participating in a project called 'Tussen Kunst en Kies' at the STRAAT Museum in Amsterdam-Noord. The participants create street art to represent their politic...

Municipality of Velsen files report over threats against councillor on social media

The municipality of Velsen has filed a police report following multiple threats directed at a council member on social media. The legal action was initiated on Thursday in response to the online haras...

ICC investigates Belarus for crimes against humanity

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has launched an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed by Belarus. The probe follows a formal request submitted by Lithuania i...

Amsterdam working on right to make mistakes without immediate fines

Jostling for Hillegom voters: Party leaders cross swords in two debates

Ahead of the municipal elections on March 18, party leaders in Hillegom participated in debates regarding the 19 available council seats. Despite the parties collectively predicting they would win 28 ...

Heemskerk election debate naturally centers on asylum seeker center again, but waste separation and gas transition also addressed: 'We see major risks'

A political debate was held in Heemskerk for undecided voters, featuring seven parties competing in the March 18 elections. The candidates discussed topics including the construction of a new asylum c...

De Bat deploys power grid reserves to avert connection freeze

The Dutch government will utilize reserve capacity on the national electricity grid to prevent a moratorium on new connections in the central Netherlands. State Secretary Jo-Annes de Bat informed Parl...

Rat nuisance becomes last-minute Haarlem election issue with petitions, posters and protest marches

Residents and local politicians in Haarlem's Kleverpark neighborhood are pushing for urgent action against rat infestations, turning the issue into a major local election theme. The community has orga...

Trump welcomes oil price rise due to war against Iran

President Donald Trump stated that rising oil prices resulting from the conflict with Iran are beneficial for the United States. He noted that the U.S. earns more from its own oil production, despite ...

Klaver seeks answers on malfunctioning gun on Evertsen

GroenLinks-PvdA is seeking clarification from the Dutch cabinet following reports that the main cannon on the frigate Zr. Ms. Evertsen is not functioning. The ship is scheduled for a mission in the ea...

US government explores imposing new import tariffs

The United States government is exploring the implementation of new import tariffs on its trading partners. The investigation includes a focus on alleged unfair trade practices by the European Union.

Iranian leader in first statement: keep pressure on enemy high

In his first statement as Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei called for the Strait of Hormuz to remain closed to maintain pressure on the country's enemies. He also emphasized the importance ...

House forces question session over Haarlem rail maintenance

The Dutch House of Representatives has scheduled a session to question State Secretary Annet Bertram regarding railway maintenance in Haarlem. Lawmakers are pushing to combine two separate maintenance...

Velsen municipality to report vandalism and illegal election postering; FVD signs targeted

The municipality of Velsen is filing police reports following the illegal placement and vandalism of election posters during the local campaign. Authorities are removing unauthorized posters, particul...

How the asylum center debate hardened Aalten: ‘Racist, fascist, I’ve been called everything’

The village of Aalten is experiencing severe social division and hostility among residents due to heated debates over the establishment of new asylum seeker centers. This internal conflict contrasts w...

AI chatbots overlook local parties: ‘Voting advice is unreliable’

Research by the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) reveals that AI chatbots rarely recommend local political parties, making their voting advice unreliable. This bias poses a risk to these parties, ...

Political cafe for young voters in Castricum: Build for us, housing is the priority

Young voters in Castricum met with candidate council members and Mayor Ben Tap during a Political Café event to discuss their priorities. The participants primarily emphasized the need for new housin...

D66: No understanding for ‘war without a plan’ in Iran

During a parliamentary debate, D66 leader Jan Paternotte expressed strong criticism of the United States and Israel for initiating a conflict with Iran without a clear plan. This position contrasts wi...

'Dream on' if you think no schools in Bloemendaal will have to close: Lively election debate in Bloemendaal town hall

Eight party leaders participated in a lively election debate at Bloemendaal's town hall, addressing several controversial local topics. A significant point of conflict involved disagreement between D6...

Holidays within Europe more popular due to Middle East war

Travel agencies report that European vacation destinations are growing in popularity due to the conflict in Iran. Additionally, there has been a notable increase in travelers opting for package holida...

EU Court: Member states must be able to change gender on identity documents

The European Court of Justice ruled on Thursday that transgender people in the EU have the right to change their gender on identity documents. The case involved a Bulgarian citizen and mandates that m...

Brussels proposes fact-finding mission for Ukraine oil pipeline

The European Commission has proposed a fact-finding mission to investigate the damaged Druzhba oil pipeline in Ukraine. As of Thursday, a spokesperson stated that the Ukrainian government has yet to r...

Chinese mediation reduces Pakistan-Afghanistan fighting

China's mediation has successfully reduced ongoing fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan, according to Pakistani government officials. The de-escalation reportedly followed a personal message from...

Revolutionary Guard vows to attack Israeli and US targets

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard claims to have conducted attacks on Israeli and American targets across the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Kuwait. According to the Guard, multiple designated targets ...

VVD does not support attack on Iran but stands with US and Israel

The Dutch VVD party supports the government's decision not to explicitly endorse U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. During a parliamentary debate, party leader Ruben Brekelmans clarified that while the...

52 million children out of school due to Middle East war

According to a report by Save the Children, at least 52 million children in the Middle East are unable to attend school due to ongoing conflict. Many educational facilities in the region have been clo...

New row between Budapest and Kyiv over blocking Russian energy

Hungary and Ukraine are engaged in a new dispute regarding the supply of Russian fossil fuels. The Hungarian Foreign Minister has accused Ukraine of conducting several attacks on a pipeline that trans...

From Drachten to Arnhem: Zaanstad pursues suspicious window cleaners across the Netherlands

Since 2024, inspectors from Zaanstad have been conducting a nationwide investigation into rogue window cleaning companies suspected of fraud, illegal labor, and permit violations. Supervisors have tra...