Politics News in English
Latest politics headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Haarlem takes financial risk with new Spaarne Gasthuis construction
Haarlem is assuming significant financial risk by providing a 100 million euro guarantee and committing to purchase the current hospital site for 25 million euros to keep the Spaarne Gasthuis in the c...
EU removes Panama and Vietnam from tax haven blacklist
The European Union has removed Panama and Vietnam from its blacklist of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions following improvements in their transparency policies and tax cooperation efforts. Eight count...
Uncertainty over government policy hinders collective bargaining negotiations
Collective labor agreement negotiations in the Netherlands have reached a historical low due to disagreements between unions and employers and uncertainty regarding government policy. Employers remain...
Pentagon wants to livestream execution, State Secretary Aerdts calls for reporting footage online
State Secretary Willemijn Aerdts is urging the public to report any footage of an upcoming Pentagon-livestreamed execution that may appear on social media. The execution of Nidal Hasan for a 2009 mass...
Cameras return to troubled Haarlem neighborhood, but will it work? "They just pee on them"
Surveillance cameras have been reinstalled at Roerdompplein in Haarlem to combat a resurgence of antisocial behavior and harassment by groups of youths. Despite these security measures, local resident...
State Secretary Judith Tielen on rainbow flag debate: 'Pity about the fuss'
State Secretary Judith Tielen has criticized the intense debate surrounding the decision to fly the rainbow flag at the Dutch House of Representatives for Coming Out Day. Despite opposition from parti...
Pieter (64) could no longer afford high rent and ended up on the street: I was just surviving
After suffering a series of financial setbacks, 64-year-old Pieter Willems lost his home and was forced to live on the streets. He is now joining a protest in Amsterdam to raise awareness about the wo...
Haarlem city treasury grew last year: nearly 380 million euros in cash
The municipality of Haarlem saw its financial reserves grow to nearly 380 million euros by the end of 2025, reaching its highest level since 2016. This growth is driven by higher-than-expected revenue...
Netherlands wants to curb EU budget, but Europe needs more money
The Netherlands is urging for significant cuts to the European Commission's proposed 2,000 billion euro long-term budget, favoring a shift toward innovation and defense. While the Commission aims to r...
Amsterdam schools take Purple Friday more seriously due to decline in LGBTQ+ acceptance: ‘We feel the need even more strongly’
A record 3,130 schools across the Netherlands are observing Purple Friday to support LGBTQ inclusion amid a recent, concerning decline in student acceptance rates. Amsterdam schools remain committed t...
City to grow to 1.08 million residents by 2050, with fewer families and a rapidly aging population
Amsterdam is projected to reach 1.08 million residents by 2050, driven primarily by international migration. However, the city faces challenges from a rapidly aging population and a housing market tha...
MPs must return Thursday evening for vote on rainbow flag
Members of the Dutch House of Representatives must return to The Hague on Thursday night for a vote on displaying a rainbow flag for Coming Out Day. The roll-call vote was requested by the SGP after a...
Cabinet wants prison sentences for Hamas support, but Dam Square banner is officially not punishable. How does that work?
Protesters in Amsterdam were seen displaying a banner in support of Hamas, yet the Public Prosecution Service determined that their actions were not legally punishable. In response, the Dutch cabinet ...
Search warrants for ex-Prince Andrew's residences were unlawful
Former prince Andrew's legal team successfully challenged the search warrants used by police to inspect his residences, with authorities admitting the warrants were unlawful. However, the High Court r...
Heinen has enough ways out of the box 3 swamp, but they all hurt
Finance Minister Eelco Heinen faces a difficult challenge in navigating the ongoing controversy surrounding box 3 taxation. He must find a solution while balancing political pressure from his own part...
Everyone wants to spare small savers, but who should pick up the tab?
The Dutch government must revise its Box 3 tax proposals after parliament rejected plans to lower wealth tax thresholds for savers and investors. Lawmakers are currently debating alternative revenue s...
End to intake freeze at Levvel, youths with severe issues can once again be admitted in Amsterdam
Care organization Levvel has ended its intake freeze for Amsterdam youth following successful negotiations to secure more beds for those in need of severe residential care. While access has been resto...
Politicians in Southeast oppose higher tourist tax: "This is annexed territory"
Local politicians in Amsterdam Zuidoost have unsuccessfully requested an exemption from the city's planned increase in tourist tax, arguing that their district does not face the same tourism-related i...
Politicians in Southeast oppose higher tourist tax: "This is annexed territory"
Politicians in Amsterdam Zuidoost sought an exemption from the city's planned tourist tax hike, arguing that their district does not face the same tourism-related issues as the city center. The propos...
Minister Yesilgöz labels Russia as ‘our enemy’, but the Netherlands is not at war
Dutch Minister of Defence Dilan Yesilgoz has explicitly declared Russia to be a "foe," shifting away from the diplomatic language of calling the country an aggressor. Although she clarified that the N...
After a breakup, Maria (29) suddenly found herself homeless: "Without a home, you lose yourself"
After a relationship breakdown led to her eviction three years ago, 29-year-old Maria has faced persistent housing instability in Amsterdam. She now plans to join the national housing protest on Dam S...
Public Prosecution Service was poorly protected against cyberattacks for years
An investigation has concluded that the Dutch Public Prosecution Service failed to adequately protect its ICT systems for years, leaving them vulnerable to cyberattacks. A security flaw in Citrix soft...
Escalated dispute over Van Gogh renovation resolved, museum to be refurbished
The Van Gogh Museum has reached an agreement with the Dutch government to resolve a funding dispute over a 104 million euro renovation project. Work on the museum is set to begin in the fall of 2028, ...
Van Gogh Museum to undergo major renovation in 2028: "Buildings in poor condition"
The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is set to begin a major renovation in late 2028 after reaching a funding agreement with the Dutch government. The project aims to improve building safety and sustainab...
Arrival of East Bridge delayed again, municipality still short at least 170 million euros
The construction of the Oostbrug in Amsterdam faces further delays as the project currently faces a funding shortfall of at least 170 million euros. Technical complexities and rising costs have led to...
City hall vandalized by pro-Palestine protesters, windows smashed: ‘City has blood on its hands’
Activists from Palestine Action NL vandalized the Stopera city hall in Amsterdam with graffiti and slogans following the police-enforced dissolution of their demonstration. Mayor Femke Halsema condemn...
City district loses Westerpark wildlife crossing: "A bit strange"
A fauna passage in Amsterdam's Westerpark has gone missing, leaving local officials puzzled as to its whereabouts. City authorities are investigating the disappearance and suspect that a utility compa...
Ramen Stopera vandalized and damaged after pro-Palestine demonstration
The Stopera building in Amsterdam was vandalized with red paint and suffered broken windows following a pro-Palestinian protest. Police ended the demonstration after participants defied orders to foll...
Ramen Stopera vandalized and damaged after pro-Palestine demonstration
The Stopera city hall in Amsterdam was vandalized with red paint and suffered broken windows following a pro-Palestinian demonstration. Police were forced to end the protest after participants ignored...
Bridge over the IJ delayed - and Amsterdam is still 170 million euros short
The Oostbrug project in Amsterdam is facing new delays and a financing shortfall of nearly 170 million euros. Rising construction costs and tensions with the national government over cruise ship polic...