Politics News in English
Latest politics headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Van den Brink: Asylum-refusing municipality must talk to neighbors
Dutch Asylum Minister Bart van den Brink stated that municipalities refusing to host asylum seekers must consult with neighboring towns, emphasizing that reception is a regional responsibility. He not...
Jetten: full EU membership must remain the goal
Dutch politician Rob Jetten stated that full EU membership should remain the primary goal for candidate countries, speaking ahead of a summit with Western Balkan nations in Montenegro. He expressed op...
Halsema’s major city center plans scrapped, but she’s not entirely empty-handed
US Senate approves funding for Trump's immigration policy
The United States Senate has approved approximately $70 billion in funding for the Trump administration's immigration policies. According to reports, the budget will be allocated to agencies such as I...
Van Dissel: COVID testing policy was adjusted earlier in practice
Former RIVM director Jaap van Dissel told a parliamentary inquiry committee that COVID-19 testing policies in the Netherlands were often adjusted in practice before they were officially updated in gui...
Netherlands more polarized than ever? New counter-terrorism chief says it's not that bad
Marc Kuipers has been appointed as the new National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV) in the Netherlands. Despite acknowledging that the country faces significant security threats a...
Politics on the Amstel: Is the coalition agreement really that left-wing and what is Esmah Lahlah doing in Amsterdam?
The new coalition agreement between Pro Amsterdam and D66 introduces policies such as increased parking fees and a reduction in civil servants while notably canceling plans for a new erotic center. Th...
Tata Steel must give Donald Pols a second chance after all
The article presents a weekly proposition asking readers whether Tata Steel should offer Donald Pols, the director of Milieudefensie, a second chance. This call for public opinion follows recent tensi...
Commission must preserve Von der Leyen’s texts, says EU Ombudsman
EU Ombudsman Teresa Anjinho has ruled that the European Commission must preserve text messages exchanged between President Ursula von der Leyen and heads of state. The decision follows an investigatio...
Harderwijk gives COA three months to close asylum center before imposing fines
The municipality of Harderwijk has given the asylum agency COA three months to close its 800-person facility or face significant daily fines. If the center remains open past the deadline, COA will be ...
Van Weel: shocking that Motherless employees share child pornography
Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel described reports that employees of the porn site Motherless shared child pornography as "shocking." The minister expects the Public Prosecution Service to conduc...
Van Veldhoven: important to go through Moerdijk process carefully
Minister Stientje van Veldhoven emphasized the importance of a careful decision-making process regarding the future of Moerdijk. She noted that the ongoing uncertainty is difficult for the residents l...
'Foreign' sea drone explodes in Romanian port
An unknown military sea drone exploded on Friday morning in the Romanian port of Constanța. The Romanian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the incident resulted in no casualties.
Van Dissel wanted to keep OMT away from political considerations
Jaap van Dissel, former chair of the Outbreak Management Team (OMT), stated that the committee aimed to provide strictly medical advice for pandemic containment during the COVID-19 crisis. He emphasiz...
Musical chairs among district administrators in full swing, but why do PRO, D66 and Halsema want to turn them into ‘super-officials’?
Van Dissel: OMT relied on outside information at start of COVID
Jaap van Dissel, head of the Dutch Outbreak Management Team, told a parliamentary inquiry committee that the team relied heavily on external information from sources like the WHO during the early stag...
UK rejects US criticism after Nowak's death
The British government has rejected criticism from the U.S. State Department regarding the death of student Henry Nowak. UK Justice Minister David Lammy denied allegations that the country’s legal s...
Israel orders evacuation of villages north of the Litani
The Israeli military has ordered the evacuation of three villages north of the Litani River in Lebanon ahead of planned attacks. Recent strikes on the southern city of Tyre have already resulted in th...
Former RIVM head Van Dissel: 'Images of coffins in the street shaped our initial focus, elderly care came later'
Former RIVM head Jaap van Dissel testified before a parliamentary inquiry committee on Friday regarding his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. He addressed past decisions concerning school closu...
Gijs Tuinman is no longer a BBB member and supports Mona Keijzer
Former BBB State Secretary Gijs Tuinman has resigned his party membership following a leadership change that saw Henk Vermeer take over as the party's leader. Tuinman expressed that the transition was...
Prosecutors to charge protester who spoke of 'new Nazis' at anti-Israel rally
The Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) has decided to prosecute a man who made antisemitic remarks during an anti-Israel demonstration on Dam Square in Amsterdam on April 2. The protester referred ...
IAEA: local ceasefire for repairs at Ukraine nuclear plant
A local ceasefire mediated by the IAEA began on Friday near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. The temporary truce is intended to allow for repairs to a high-voltage power line to mitiga...
Fully pesticide-free greenery remains unattainable for Haarlem for now
Alderman Robbert Berkhout announced that Haarlem will not meet its goal of having all city greenery pesticide-free by 2028. The delay is caused by the limited availability of trees, shrubs, and grass ...
Number of Russian companies in the country falls sharply over ten years
The number of Russian-owned companies in the Netherlands has significantly decreased since 2014. This decline is primarily attributed to the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Three demonstrations announced for Ye's concerts at GelreDome
Three demonstrations have been registered with the municipality of Arnhem to take place during rapper Ye's concerts at the GelreDome. Mayor Ahmed Marcouch confirmed that protesters will be assigned a ...
Most municipalities far behind on housing for permit holders
Most Dutch municipalities are failing to meet government-mandated targets for housing refugees with residency permits, resulting in a backlog of over 12,000 people. This shortage forces permit holders...
Haarlem primary schools that questioned transition test receive support; Education Council also critical
Three primary schools in Haarlem belonging to the Spaarnesant group have received support from the Dutch Education Council in their opposition to mandatory transition tests. The council's recent repor...
Doctors sue Philip Morris over 'misleading' campaign
A group of doctors and health organizations has filed a complaint with the Dutch Advertising Code Committee against a campaign by Philip Morris International. They allege that the company is using a m...
Japan to replace aging nuclear reactors
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry has proposed replacing up to 14 outdated nuclear reactors over the next few decades. This initiative is intended to ensure the country can meet its gro...
Kennedy Center board instructs staff to remove Trump's name
The board of the Kennedy Center in Washington has instructed its staff to remove former President Donald Trump's name from the building. This directive was revealed through an internal memo reported b...