Politics News in English

Bevrijdingspop becomes smaller-scale: lower costs and more focus on freedom

The Bevrijdingspop festival in Haarlem is transitioning to a smaller-scale format to focus more on themes of freedom and democracy while addressing rising security costs. Organizers plan to experiment...

Lokaal Vitaal takes the lead in Castricum. Party seeks informateur: 'Many parties prefer thoroughness over speed, so we are going for that'

The local party Lokaal Vitaal is seeking an independent informateur to lead coalition talks in Castricum following their victory in the municipal elections. As the clear winner, the party is taking th...

Richard de Mos puts forward Ahmed Aboutaleb (64) as scout in The Hague

Former Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb has been appointed as a coalition scout in The Hague by election winner Richard de Mos. Aboutaleb will explore potential governing partnerships to form a new loc...

Source: French justice investigates former Frontex director

French judicial authorities have launched an investigation into Fabrice Leggeri, the former director of the European border agency Frontex. The probe follows accusations from the Human Rights League (...

Number of asylum seekers in Ter Apel surges

The number of asylum seekers at the Ter Apel registration center has risen to over 2,100, exceeding the facility's 2,000-person capacity limit. Despite the increase, the reception agency COA will not ...

Tehran arrests 466 for sowing unrest

Iranian authorities have arrested 466 individuals for allegedly undermining national security through illegal online activities. According to state media, the crackdown aims to prevent the spread of i...

Flight tax not yet driving Dutch travelers to foreign airports

The higher flight tax introduced in the Netherlands in 2023 has not yet caused a significant shift of Dutch travelers to airports in neighboring countries. Recent data shows that both domestic and for...

Gatekeepers had to keep 'unfavorable people' out at the city gates

In 1711, Haarlem city authorities implemented measures at city gates to prevent 'unfavorable people' from entering and causing public disorder. This decision followed a rise in public drunkenness and ...

Emergency service reports injuries from rockets in Tel Aviv

Four people were slightly injured following rocket attacks on Tel Aviv, according to the Israeli emergency service Magen David Adom. The city's mayor reported a direct hit on a building, which occurre...

Moldova: main high-voltage line with Europe severed

Moldovan President Maia Sandu reported that Russian overnight attacks on Ukraine have severed the primary high-voltage power line connecting Moldova to Europe. The damage illustrates the regional impa...

A2 Vinkeveen exit closed due to 'threat against Zaandam prison staff'

The A2 exit at Vinkeveen has been closed following threats against employees of the Zaanstad correctional facility and reports of explosives targeting their vehicles. Police arrested a suspect at a ne...

Development bank FMO: food prices rising sharply due to higher gas prices, and that's not all

FMO CEO Michael Jongeneel reports that rising gas prices and the conflict in the Middle East are driving up food prices and impacting the bank's financed partners more than previous trade wars. Howeve...

Young women elected to Haarlemmermeer council via preference votes; HAP leader Marjolein Steffens declines seat

Several young women candidates in Haarlemmermeer secured seats in the municipal council through preference votes during the recent elections. Current alderwoman and HAP leader Marjolein Steffens-Van d...

Homeowner ordered to demolish glass sunroom on roof terrace: "Detracts from unity"

A homeowner in Amsterdam's Nieuw-West district has been ordered by a court to demolish a glass sunroom built on their roof terrace without a permit. The ruling follows advice from the Commission for S...

Amsterdam glaziers celebrated when the windows were smashed

In 1848, a public gathering organized by Carl Hancke on Dam Square in Amsterdam escalated into a riot after the organizer failed to appear. The resulting unrest led to widespread property damage, whic...

Ukrainians will not be given priority for housing in Velsen; emergency shelter to end next year

The municipality of Velsen will terminate crisis emergency shelter for Ukrainian refugees starting early next year. Refugees will be transitioned into regular housing, but they will not receive priori...

Record new construction for housing associations, but still 10,000 homes a year short

Dutch housing corporations built a record 21,500 new homes last year, according to figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Despite this achievement, the sector still falls 10,000 units short of the...

Housing corporations to build record number of new homes in 2025

Housing associations in the Netherlands added a record 21,500 new rental homes in 2025, an increase of 2,000 compared to the previous year. This marks the highest number of completions since data coll...

CDA, PvdD, Jouw Haarlem and Actiepartij vie for spot at Haarlem coalition table: ‘Choose us. Choose a green, clean Haarlem’

The Haarlem city coalition for the next four years will include GL-PvdA and D66, but the search for a third partner continues. Four parties, including CDA and PvdD, are currently competing for a spot ...

Thousands lose youth disability benefits after five years of work

Thousands of individuals receiving Wajong disability benefits will lose their eligibility after five years of employment if their income exceeds a specific threshold. This policy change is expected to...

Pentagon expels journalists from building after court ruling

The US Department of Defense has announced that journalists will no longer be allowed to work inside the Pentagon building following a court ruling. A separate media workspace will be established on t...

Renewed drone and missile attacks reported in Middle East

Iranian state media reported a new wave of missile attacks launched against Israel on Monday night. Meanwhile, Israeli forces targeted the Lebanese capital of Beirut, where journalists confirmed at le...

Older workers spared while younger ones take on more: ‘Pressure will continue to rise’

As the state pension age rises in the Netherlands, more older employees are opting to reduce their working hours leading up to retirement. Employers express concern that this trend will create an unfa...

Australia and EU sign major free trade agreement after years of negotiations

Australia and the European Union signed a comprehensive free trade agreement in Canberra on Tuesday following years of negotiations. The deal aims to strengthen economic ties and facilitate trade betw...

US government opens new investigations into Harvard

The US Department of Education has launched two new investigations into Harvard University to determine if the institution is practicing affirmative action. This follows a 2023 Supreme Court ruling th...

Bahrain drafts UN resolution against Iranian shipping attacks

Bahrain has drafted a United Nations Security Council resolution seeking authorization for countries to use all necessary means to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The proposal fol...

Zita Pels group leader of merged GroenLinks/PvdA Amsterdam

Zita Pels has been appointed as the group leader for the newly merged GroenLinks and PvdA faction in Amsterdam following recent municipal elections. The two parties, which secured a combined 17 seats,...

Zita Pels leader of merged GroenLinks/PvdA party in Amsterdam

Zita Pels has been appointed as the chair of the newly merged GroenLinks and PvdA faction in Amsterdam following the municipal elections. The two parties, which won a combined 17 seats, will negotiate...

GroenLinks and PvdA now also called GroenLinks-PvdA in Amsterdam

Netanyahu: Trump sees possibilities for deal with Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that U.S. President Donald Trump believes strategic goals regarding Iran can be achieved through a negotiated agreement. This update follows recent dis...