Politics News in English
Latest politics headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
EU presidency Cyprus proposes lower EU budget, Netherlands against
Cyprus, acting as EU chair, has proposed a slightly reduced EU multi-annual budget of 1.95 trillion euros for the 2028-2034 period. Dutch Finance Minister Eelco Heinen reacted by stating that the prop...
Prime Minister Jetten: Zeeland accident 'overshadows everything today'
Prime Minister Rob Jetten expressed his condolences following a tragic accident near Vogelwaarde, Zeeland, which resulted in three deaths on Thursday afternoon. The incident occurred during a primary ...
City Executive must involve City Council in Mercator center redevelopment plan in Nieuw-Vennep
The executive board of Haarlemmermeer incorrectly failed to seek the city council's advice before granting a permit for the Mercator new construction project in central Nieuw-Vennep. This procedural o...
Amsterdam tightens procurement policy, but ‘this is no Israel boycott’
No, we aren't hiding the harsh reality out of fear of 'the right'
New rules make it easier to cancel online purchases
Starting June 19, webshops and apps are required to provide a clearly visible cancellation button for consumers. This new regulation aims to make the process of canceling online purchases easier and m...
Poultry housing order also lifted in Gelderse Vallei
The Dutch government has lifted the nationwide housing requirement for poultry after experts assessed the risk of bird flu as moderate to low. The final restrictions were removed in the Gelderse Valle...
Haarlem coalition agreement presented: parking to become more expensive, 15,000 homes to be added
The new coalition agreement for Haarlem, formed by PRO, D66, and CDA, outlines plans to build 15,000 new homes and increase parking fees. The agreement also includes the implementation of a "tile team...
Part of Borneokade jetty finally removed
Work has begun to remove a section of the controversial swimming pier on the Borneokade in Amsterdam following a legal settlement between the municipality and local houseboat residents. The decision f...
Brunner: penalties for countries not adhering to migration pact
European Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner announced that the EU will strictly monitor the implementation of the asylum and migration pact. Member states failing to comply with rules for scree...
Amsterdam City Council demands help for homeless mothers: 'These children deserve a shelter in our city'
Pope urges safe and legal migration on Gran Canaria
Pope Leo XIV visited the Canary Islands to advocate for migrants arriving from Africa, emphasizing the need for safe and legal migration channels. During his visit, he spoke in defense of those seekin...
Alderman Mbarki seeks talks with UvA over scrapping Yiddish studies: ‘Urgency is required’
Castricum has a new governing agreement and the executive board is finalized
The municipality of Castricum has reached a draft governing agreement and finalized the members of its new executive board. The board will feature representatives from Lokaal Vitaal, VVD, and D66, inc...
Alderman on massive cost increase for bridge over the IJ: "I also had to swallow hard"
Amsterdam's Alderman for Mobility, Elise Moeskops, expressed shock over reports that the projected cost of the new bridge over the IJ has nearly tripled, potentially reaching 850 million euros. Origin...
Alderman on massive cost increase for IJ bridge: I also had to swallow hard
Amsterdam Alderman Elise Moeskops expressed shock as the estimated cost for the new bridge over the IJ has risen from approximately –340 million to between –650 million and –850 million. During ...
No unanimous support for new team of aldermen in Zandvoort. Wiegmans will not live in Zandvoort
A new board of aldermen has officially started in Zandvoort following their appointment on Wednesday night. The three aldermen did not receive unanimous support from the municipal council, and one app...
Second Chance Foundation in Amsterdam East faces closure in a week, to the dismay of the Party for the Animals: 'This is far from enough'
Minister Sjoerdsma called to Parliament again today: what’s going on with the budget deal?
D66 Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma is appearing before the Dutch House of Representatives today to explain a controversial budget deal regarding development aid. The minister faces criticism for orchestrat...
Haarlem reaches new coalition agreement
Political parties PRO Haarlem, D66, and CDA have presented a new coalition agreement for Haarlem titled "Samen bouwen aan een sterk Haarlem." The plan prioritizes the construction of 12,000 affordable...
British Defense Secretary Healey resigns over budget row
British Defense Minister John Healey has announced his resignation following a dispute over funding. In a post on social media, Healey shared his resignation letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, exp...
Cabinet votes for EU pesticide plan despite risks
Dutch State Secretary Silvio Erkens announced that the cabinet will vote in favor of a European proposal to simplify pesticide regulations, despite concerns about environmental and health risks. While...
PVV politician sentenced to community service for hitting XR activist
Ronald van Tiggelen, a PVV provincial council member, has been sentenced to 200 hours of community service for driving into a climate activist at the provincial house in Haarlem. The court convicted h...
Social housing tenants to pay 3.6 percent more on average this year
Housing corporations in the Netherlands are increasing social housing rents by an average of 3.6 percent this year, according to industry body Aedes. This figure represents the maximum allowable incre...
Maintenance on Kerklaan in Heemstede, new step towards 30 km/h limit
Maintenance work will take place on Kerklaan in Heemstede for two days starting Tuesday, June 16, to replace the asphalt. This project covers the section between Herenweg and Burgemeester van Lennepwe...
Business owners ask minister for more police: "Daily crime or nuisance"
Dozens of Amsterdam business associations have sent a formal letter to the Minister of Justice and Security requesting more police presence to combat daily crime and public nuisance. The organizations...
VNG after ruling: religious exemptions from compulsory education harder to obtain
The Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) is tightening rules for religious exemptions from compulsory school attendance following a recent Supreme Court ruling. Starting next school year, p...
Twelve officers injured after new riots in Northern Ireland
Twelve police officers were injured during overnight riots in Northern Ireland. Authorities arrested sixteen individuals following the unrest, according to Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn.
Sweden scraps plan for tougher sentences for 13-year-olds
The Swedish government has withdrawn a controversial proposal that would have allowed children as young as 13 to be sentenced to prison. Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer acknowledged that the plan wa...
New aldermen sworn in: "You will see more women and otters in public spaces"
Nine aldermen for Amsterdam's new coalition were officially installed following questioning by the city council. The new leadership includes five first-time aldermen, such as Elise Moeskops, who empha...