Politics News in English
Latest politics headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Where is the leadership?
Protests against a proposed asylum seeker center in Loosdrecht have escalated, leading police to use water cannons to disperse demonstrators. As calls for further national protests grow, the situation...
Von der Leyen: Russia defies diplomacy with attacks
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned Russia for launching one of its most relentless drone attacks against Ukraine. She stated that while Moscow is openly defying diplomatic ef...
New executive and plans receive broad support from Hillegom council; only CDA and HvH vote against ‘Making Hillegom together’
The Hillegom municipal council has expressed broad support for the new local governing agreement titled "Hillegom maken we samen," with 16 out of 19 members voting in favor. Only the political parties...
Pope criticizes European rearmament
Pope Leo XIV has criticized European nations for increasing their military expenditures, stating that the world is being "mangled by wars." Speaking to university students in Rome, the Pope also chall...
Construction ban on luxury chalets? Province and municipality face off in court
The province of North Holland and the municipality of Bloemendaal are heading to court on May 29 to resolve a dispute over the construction of 350 luxury chalets at MarinaParken. While the province de...
British minister resigns: lost confidence in Starmer
British Health Minister Wes Streeting has resigned from his position, stating he has lost confidence in Prime Minister Keir Starmer's leadership. Streeting, who is viewed as a potential challenger to ...
Abbas promises new elections at party congress
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced his willingness to hold new presidential and parliamentary elections during a speech at his party's congress. He also committed to continuing reforms with...
More arrests at protest against emergency shelter in Apeldoorn
Police arrested five individuals on Wednesday evening during a protest against emergency housing for asylum seekers in Apeldoorn. The demonstration is part of a series of recurring protests in the cit...
Latvian Prime Minister resigns after Ukrainian drone crisis
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa has resigned following a political crisis in the country. The turmoil began after two Ukrainian drones entered Latvian airspace from Russian territory last week.
NSB members were better off entering this notorious Amsterdam neighborhood only in groups of at least three before the war
Haarlem coalition sacrifices old Werf Conrad administration building for housing: ‘Grandeur will not return’
The Haarlem city coalition has decided to demolish the 1897 Werf Conrad administration building to make way for new housing along the Spaarne. Although the building's historical remains were recently ...
Kyiv death toll rises after massive Russian attacks
The death toll in Kyiv has risen to at least three following massive Russian attacks that also left more than forty people injured. Search and rescue operations are ongoing as officials fear more vict...
Venus Street residents complain about unclear housing plan: 'A blank check to a developer'
Residents of Venusstraat in IJmuiden criticized a proposed housing development during a council committee meeting on Wednesday, calling the current plan too vague. They expressed concerns that the pro...
They have flags, logos and banners? So do we! Foundation to amplify the soft voice of the well-meaning majority in the Netherlands
The civic movement De Goede Zaak has launched a fundraising campaign to amplify the voices of the "silent majority" in the Netherlands as a counter-response to far-right and anti-refugee symbols. Acti...
Five parties in Haarlemmermeer take next step in formation, including Forza! and PRO: ‘They have sufficient confidence’
Five parties in the Haarlemmermeer municipality, including the VVD, PRO, D66, CDA, and Forza!, have moved to the next stage of coalition formation. Informateur Pieter Litjens announced that the group ...
Arrests in Loosdrecht including for fireworks possession
Police arrested four individuals during an anti-asylum seekers center protest in Loosdrecht on Wednesday evening. The arrests were made for offenses including the possession of fireworks and public in...
Xi warns Trump of conflict over Taiwan
Chinese President Xi Jinping warned U.S. President Donald Trump that mishandling the issue of Taiwan could lead to clashes or conflicts. Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province, while the United...
Trump and Xi meeting ends after more than two hours
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded a meeting in Beijing that lasted over two hours on Thursday. The leaders discussed key issues including trade relations and the s...
Most proxy votes in Nieuw-West; stricter rules would be bad for turnout
Proxy voting in Amsterdam is most common in districts with low turnout, such as Nieuw-West, Noord, and Zuidoost, where it is often used by migrant communities. While the system faces scrutiny due to i...
Council wants to scrap ‘very dangerous U-turn’ from Kleine Houtweg plans
A narrow majority of the Haarlem City Council supports plans to green and narrow the Kleine Houtweg but has rejected a proposed 180-degree U-turn on the Kamperlaan. Council members labeled the U-turn ...
Haarlem Mayor Jos Wienen to chair national task force on steel slag
Mayor Jos Wienen of Haarlem has been appointed as the national chairman of the Taskforce for Existing Applications of Steel Slag. In this new role, announced by State Secretary Annet Bertram, Wienen w...
Seven thousand Velsen residents invited to major biennial poll
The municipality of Velsen is inviting 7,000 residents to participate in its large biennial survey to gather feedback on local matters. The poll addresses various topics, including car accessibility a...
Kyiv Mayor: Major attack on capital
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that the Ukrainian capital is under a major Russian attack involving drones and ballistic missiles. The mayor announced the strikes on Telegram as the city faced t...
Trump and Xi start meeting in Beijing with handshake
Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing on Thursday to begin a high-level summit. The two leaders are scheduled to discuss several international issues, including ...
Minister: Cuba has completely run out of diesel and fuel oil
Cuba has completely run out of diesel and fuel oil, leading to the worst power outages in Havana in decades. The country's Minister of Energy and Mining attributed the crisis to a US blockade that has...
Concerns about safety and concrete agreements regarding Tolweg asylum center: 'What if ten years is not enough?'
The municipalities of Heemskerk and Uitgeest have drafted an agreement with the COA for an asylum seekers' center on Tolweg. While local politicians generally support the plan, they have expressed con...
Bloemendaal scraps monument maintenance subsidies: 'This is unavoidable'
The municipality of Bloemendaal will terminate subsidies for the maintenance of municipal monuments starting January 1, 2027. Most local political parties support the decision, viewing it as a necessa...
'We are in a remarkably good position,' says finance alderman, but Velsen budget back in the red next year
The municipality of Velsen has reported its first positive financial balance in years, suggesting that additional budget cuts may not be necessary. However, local officials remain cautious as the budg...
Who will join the new Pro Amsterdam and D66 administration? Rumored names for Amsterdam’s new deputy mayors
Body of second missing US soldier found in Morocco
The body of a second American soldier who went missing during a military exercise in Morocco in early May has been recovered. The Moroccan armed forces confirmed the discovery of the remains following...