Politics News in English

Jetten to meet former minister and senators in Washington on Monday

Dutch official Rob Jetten is scheduled to meet with former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and several senators during his visit to Washington, D.C. on Monday. The meeting is part of an official d...

Xi Jinping: China will not tolerate Taiwan independence

Chinese President Xi Jinping stated during a meeting with Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun that China will not tolerate any move toward Taiwan's independence. Xi accused Taiwan of undermining ...

In docuseries Hotline Hungary, Nicolaas Veul speaks to people who believe his queerness is a mental disorder

Silent protest: reading for freedom at the Botermarkt

Several local cultural institutions and bookstores organized a silent reading event at the Botermarkt to advocate for the freedom of access to books. The demonstration aims to highlight that the right...

Pentagon reined in again for restricting journalist access

The U.S. Department of Defense has been rebuked for its ongoing attempts to restrict media access to the Pentagon. A judge ruled these restrictions unconstitutional and ordered the restoration of pres...

D66 drops PRO as potential coalition partner in Bloemendaal for now: ‘If the VVD doesn’t want it, it becomes very difficult’

D66 has decided to exclude the PRO party from potential coalition talks in Bloemendaal, following a scout's recommendation to form a government with the VVD and CDA. While D66 described the exclusion ...

It’s not allowed, but cyclists flock to railway tracks and narrow bridge: "Fun challenge"

Cyclists in Amsterdam are illegally using a narrow tram bridge near the Amsterdamse Bos as a shortcut while a nearby bridge is replaced. Despite warning signs and the risk of fines, many users continu...

Epstein victims oppose Melania Trump's proposal

Victims of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have opposed a proposal by Melania Trump for them to testify about their experiences under oath before Congress. The BBC reported that the victims rejected the ...

Increasing number of young people recruited as drug retrievers

The number of underage drug extractors in the Netherlands has surged, rising from 1% of arrests in 2020 to over 22% last year. This data, reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS), highlights a signifi...

Amsterdam has relatively the fewest electric cars

According to CBS data, Amsterdam has the lowest relative number of electric vehicles per 1,000 residents among Dutch cities, despite having the highest absolute total of 40,000 cars. The city maintain...

Symbion Vastgoed accepts municipality's refusal: no new supermarket at Bakkerspleintje

Symbion Vastgoed has decided not to appeal the municipality's decision to deny permission for a new supermarket in Castricum's old village center. This means the plan for a second grocery store at the...

Subsidy funds nearly empty, Heemskerk events at risk. Council blames budget shortfall, not bias

The local government of Heemskerk clarified that several events, including the Festi4all festival, are being cancelled due to a lack of subsidy funds rather than arbitrary decision-making. This statem...

Israel-Lebanon talks in Washington next week

Israel and Lebanon are scheduled to hold negotiations next week at the U.S. State Department in Washington. The upcoming talks were announced by the American State Department.

Putin announces Ukraine ceasefire for Orthodox Easter

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine to coincide with the Orthodox Easter holiday this coming weekend. The pause in hostilities is intended to mark the relig...

Melania Trump denies ties to Epstein

Melania Trump has denied ever having any connection to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She stated that the rumors regarding a relationship between them are an attempt to damage her re...

Noa-Lynn van Leuven (29) no longer welcome at PDC women's tournaments

The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) has announced that 29-year-old Dutch trans player Noa-Lynn van Leuven is no longer permitted to compete in women's tournaments. Under the new rules effective i...

Lebanon seeks ceasefire for negotiations with Israel

Lebanon is demanding a ceasefire as a prerequisite for entering negotiations with Israel, according to reports from a Lebanese official. The proposed talks would be mediated by the United States and l...

Operation Hellfire succeeds as a ruthless satirical dissection of Dutch impotence and incompetence

Pregnancy discrimination not declining: nearly half are likely victims

Nearly 44 percent of women who worked or sought employment while pregnant likely experienced pregnancy discrimination, a figure that has remained largely unchanged for 14 years. The issue is most prev...

Foundation has defended village character for 50 years. ‘This is Santpoort, Haarlem is over there. We must keep this open’

The Santpoort Foundation is celebrating 50 years of advocating for the preservation of the village's character, landscape, and cultural history. Originally formed to protest the demolition of a histor...

High energy prices continue to hurt: ‘Companies struggle to pass on costs’

High energy prices and geopolitical instability in the Middle East are negatively impacting Dutch businesses and consumer confidence. While many companies struggle to pass on increased costs, those ex...

Railway safety systems aging faster than expected, billions needed

The Dutch railway safety system is aging faster than anticipated, with critical components requiring replacement between 2035 and 2040. State Secretary Annet Bertram informed Parliament that this urge...

Rutte: NATO willing to assist Hormuz coalition if desired

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has stated that the alliance is prepared to assist in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if requested. He emphasized that NATO is ready to support the security of...

Netanyahu orders negotiations with Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his cabinet to initiate negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible. The move comes as Israel continues military operations in the neighborin...

IJmuiden fishing company holds government liable for years-long port fishing ban

A fishing company from IJmuiden is holding the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature liable for a multi-year ban on fishing in the region's ports and coastal waters. The ...

Rare event: provincial legislator ejected from meeting after making accusation

Provincial board member Debora Fernald was removed from a meeting at the South Holland Provincial House after a heated debate. The removal occurred after she accused a staff member from another politi...

Strict asylum laws or not, Mayor Wienen remains committed to children in harrowing situations

Haarlem Mayor Jos Wienen has announced that the city administration will continue to support undocumented children in distressing situations, regardless of strict national asylum laws. Wienen stated h...

Impatient Parliament wants to lower household energy bills

The Dutch House of Representatives is urging the government to take faster action to lower household energy bills. While opposition parties advocate for immediate energy tax reductions, coalition part...

Iranian Amsterdammers have mixed feelings: ‘All those young people killed in Iran, was it for nothing?’

Pakistan condemns Israeli attacks on Lebanon

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly condemned Israel's ongoing military actions in Lebanon. In a statement on social media, Sharif expressed his condolences to Lebanese Prime Minister...