Politics News in English

Alderman De Raadt scraps general smoking ban for Haarlem sports and play areas: ‘Unenforceable’

Haarlem Sport Alderman Eva de Raadt has rejected a city council proposal to implement a smoking ban across all sports and play areas in the city. De Raadt cited legal limitations under the Tobacco and...

Fewer people with debt settlement loans and debt relief after assistance program shortened

The number of people receiving debt restructuring credits and participating in debt relief programs in the Netherlands decreased significantly last year. This decline follows the shortening of the dur...

Jamie (D66) to face mother (VVD) in Castricum council chamber after all: ‘We have mixed feelings’

Jamie Shalders of the D66 party is joining the Castricum municipal council following the departure of candidate-alderman Erik Hordijk. This appointment means he will serve alongside his mother, Renata...

Shell reports significant profit due to Middle East war

Shell reported a first-quarter profit of nearly $6.9 billion, driven by a significant increase in oil prices. The price surge is attributed to market volatility caused by the ongoing conflict in the M...

Local resident voluntarily goes to jail tonight in new season of Hell or Hotel

Wybren van Haga, a resident of Haarlem, will voluntarily enter prison alongside London Loy for the new season of the television show Hel of hotel. The program, which features participants experiencing...

Heritage of the Week | NSB Bookstore De Driehoek/Het Bolwerk (1936-1945)

Propaganda material from a former NSB bookstore was recently discovered during renovations at Kalverstraat 3-5. The historical items, dating from 1936 to 1945, have been transferred to the NIOD Instit...

Summer holidays less popular due to fuel crisis

Rising fuel costs and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are making summer vacations less popular among Europeans. High prices for both airline tickets and car travel are forcing many travelers ...

Polling stations open for British elections

Polling stations have opened across Great Britain for local elections in England and parliamentary elections in Wales and Scotland. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour Party is expected to face signi...

Longer free bicycle parking in municipal facilities from June 1, 2026

Starting June 1, 2026, Amsterdam will deactivate the access gates in its municipal bicycle parking garages to simplify use. From that date, bicycles can be parked for free for a maximum of seven days.

’t Groot Clooster users slam participation process and ask alderman for suspension

Four organizations based at 't Groot Clooster in Heemstede have requested an immediate suspension of the participation process concerning the area's future. The parties submitted a formal letter to Al...

What punishment awaits monument vandals and Remembrance Day disruptors? This fact works in their favor

During the National Remembrance Day on Dam Square in Amsterdam, activists defaced the National Monument and disrupted the two-minute silence to protest the war in Gaza. A total of thirteen people were...

Had a Netflix subscription? A class action lawsuit is being prepared, and you can join for free

The Stichting Bescherming Consumentenbelang is preparing a mass claim against Netflix for increasing subscription prices since 2017 without clear transparency. The foundation argues that these price h...

Housing market divide: widening gap between renters and buyers

Stephen Colbert's witty interview with former President Obama was balm for the soul

MSF: Malnutrition in Gaza devastating for pregnant women and babies

An analysis by Médecins Sans Frontières warns that extreme food shortages in Gaza are having devastating effects on pregnant women and newborns. The international medical organization highlights tha...

New residence permit holders are working more often

An increasing number of refugees with residence permits in the Netherlands are finding employment shortly after being granted status. According to data from Statistics Netherlands (CBS), these individ...

Party for the Animals wants Rijksmuseum bird netting removed 'as soon as possible'

The Party for the Animals (PvdD) is calling for the immediate removal of anti-bird nets placed over trees in Amsterdam's Carel Willinkplantsoen by the Rijksmuseum. The museum installed the nets to pre...

EU politicians want swift action on new AI model before hacking chaos breaks out: ‘Bad guys get golden opportunity’

European MEPs are calling for urgent action and access to test a new AI model called Mythos, which is capable of rapidly identifying security vulnerabilities. They warn that the technology could provi...

Reduced sentence for former South Korean Prime Minister Han

A South Korean appeals court has reduced the prison sentence of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo by eight years. The 76-year-old was originally convicted for his involvement in the declaration of ma...

Ministry asks Heemskerk for clarification on asylum reception: ‘Currently fails to meet Distribution Act’

The Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security has requested clarification from the municipality of Heemskerk regarding its plans for an asylum seeker center on Tolweg. The ministry warned that the curren...

New design for Pontplein redevelopment, residents can comment until June 8

A new design for the redesign of Pontplein and its surrounding area has been presented after previous fly-over plans proved financially unfeasible. Residents can provide feedback on the proposal onlin...

Trump administration lashes out at Europe in new counterterrorism policy

The Trump administration's new counter-terrorism strategy characterizes Europe as a breeding ground for terrorism. The U.S. government claims that this threat is being fueled by mass migration into th...

Netherlands wants British model to curb femicide, but it doesn't always work

The Dutch government is considering new legislation inspired by a British model to combat femicide by allowing individuals to check their partner's history of domestic violence. While the House of Rep...

Hundreds march in Loosdrecht against emergency shelter

A few hundred people gathered in Loosdrecht on Wednesday evening to march against the planned arrival of an emergency shelter. Members of Parliament Gidi Markuszower and Mona Keijzer were also present...

Families in emergency shelter in IJsselstein, construction start date unknown

The planned emergency shelter in IJsselstein will primarily house families and partners of status holders arriving through family reunification. Although the municipality has confirmed the facility's ...

Van den Brink emphasizes importance of migrant returns at UN

Dutch Asylum Minister Bart van den Brink attended a United Nations migration meeting in New York to discuss migration policy. He emphasized that the return of migrants must be treated as an essential ...

Anti-asylum center protesters block A59 highway near Den Bosch

Protesters opposing a planned asylum seeker center in Den Bosch blocked the A59 highway, forcing traffic to a halt between Den Bosch and Waalwijk. Rijkswaterstaat confirmed the demonstration on the ro...

First Israeli airstrike on Beirut since start of ceasefire

Israel has launched an airstrike on Beirut, marking the first time the Lebanese capital has been targeted since a ceasefire began in mid-April. The attack represents a significant breach of the recent...

Berendsen consults WHO and Spain on next steps for Hondius

Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen is coordinating with the WHO and Spain to arrange the return of ten Dutch nationals and other passengers from the cruise ship Hondius. Berendsen stated that the Ne...

Asylum resistance in Loosdrecht and IJsselstein painfully exposes government miscalculation

Local resistance against emergency asylum seeker housing in Loosdrecht and IJsselstein is creating significant political challenges for Minister Bart van den Brink. The cabinet's goal of managing migr...