Netherlands News in English

40 years of voting rights for migrants: how politics became a reflection of the city

On March 19, 1986, migrants without Dutch nationality were granted the right to vote in local elections in the Netherlands for the first time. This historical milestone marks nearly 40 years of politi...

New Jumbo CEO saw in first 75 days that Jumbo has lost its luster: 'We spend hours in meetings'

Jumbo's new CEO, Jesper Højer, observed during his first 75 days that the supermarket chain has become overly complex and lost its competitive edge. He aims to revitalize the company by improving pro...

Haarlem votes for more of the same: GL-PvdA and D66 together larger than before

Voters in Haarlem have opted for political continuity in the recent elections, leaving the city's power dynamics largely unchanged. Despite various parties campaigning for change, the combined influen...

Behind the scenes of the elections: the election results

This article explores the behind-the-scenes process that occurs after polling stations close during an election. It highlights the essential work performed by report controllers and election officials...

Haarlem residents Alain and Karin hesitated about their trip to Cuba but went anyway: ‘We are helping the Cubans, because every peso counts’

Alain and Karin Timmers from Haarlem decided to proceed with their trip to Cuba despite the country's worsening economic crisis and fuel shortages. They believe their visit supports the local populati...

European gas price jumps 35% after attack on massive Middle East gas fields

European gas prices surged by 35% on Thursday morning following attacks on gas installations in the Middle East. The price spike was recorded at the Amsterdam gas exchange, which serves as the benchma...

Election results hold four lessons for national parties: the prime minister bonus and the ‘Lidewij effect’

National political parties are closely analyzing the results of local elections to identify key trends and lessons. With nearly all votes counted, four major takeaways have emerged, including insights...

Arie 'completely done' with fiets.com over lack of goodwill after premature electric motor failure

A customer named Arie is seeking compensation after the Bosch motor on his €3,000 e-bike failed after only three years and 6,500 kilometers. Despite the bike being well-maintained, the retailer, fie...

Unemployment rises to highest level in four years

Unemployment in the Netherlands rose slightly to 4.1 percent in February, reaching its highest level in four years. According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the rate had previously remained at 4 per...

Oil prices continue to rise: petrol and diesel more expensive again in the Netherlands

Oil prices have increased following attacks on major energy facilities in the Middle East, including a key gas production site in Qatar. This has led to a subsequent rise in the recommended prices for...

Richard de Mos: for some a reincarnation of F. Jacobse, for others a beacon of hope in dark times

Landslide victory for FVD in Velsen, Velsen Lokaal no longer largest, Liberaal Blauw and ChristenUnie retain seats

Forum voor Democratie (FVD) achieved a major victory in the Velsen municipal elections, overtaking Velsen Lokaal as the largest party. While Liberaal Blauw and ChristenUnie maintained their seats, pol...

Philip Morris tobacco shops illegally promote heated tobacco as healthier alternative to cigarettes

An undercover investigation by the journalistic platform Pointer revealed that tobacco shops supported by Philip Morris are illegally promoting heated tobacco as a healthier alternative to traditional...

How do I get rid of caterpillars so my shrubs can recover?

Farmer Tom provides advice to a reader on how to naturally manage a caterpillar infestation on viburnum shrubs. The goal is to eliminate the pests using eco-friendly methods so the plants can recover ...

After Esschilderstraat ‘bike sweep’, some bicycles are missing: ‘They can’t just have vanished?’

Residents of Esschilderstraat in Haarlem are unable to locate their bicycles following a cleanup operation by the municipality and Spaarnelanden. Several missing bikes, including expensive electric mo...

Fishermen caught between hope and fear: High fuel prices make fishing barely profitable

High fuel prices have made fishing activities barely profitable, leaving Dutch fishermen facing significant financial uncertainty. Jan Visser, working on his shrimp cutter in the IJmuiden harbor, exem...

LIVE 2026 Municipal Elections | Only results for Amsterdam and Hoorn still missing, multiple parties become largest out of nowhere

The preliminary results for the 2026 Dutch local elections are still pending for Amsterdam and Hoorn, with official counts expected by Thursday afternoon. Several new political parties have emerged as...

A new city council, a new spring. Hold onto that feeling

Following recent elections, 8,554 council members have been chosen to lead Dutch municipalities with a renewed sense of purpose and optimism. This new group of elected officials, comprising both newco...

GroenLinks-PvdA alliance loses many voters, D66 fails to capitalize everywhere, FvD big winner: These are the results in the Haarlem region

The GroenLinks-PvdA alliance lost a significant number of voters across several municipalities in the Haarlem region during the recent municipal elections. While the VVD remained the largest party in ...

NSC fails to win any council seats in five municipalities

The political party NSC failed to win a council seat in any of the five Dutch municipalities where it participated in local elections. According to preliminary results, the party did not secure repres...

D66 narrowly largest in Heemstede after tense election night, Eric Geels' party secures seat

D66 emerged as the largest party in the Heemstede municipal elections, narrowly defeating the VVD by a margin of 86 votes. The newcomer party Samen Sterk Heemstede (SSH) also secured its first seat in...

King talks with Curaçao residents about geopolitical tensions

King Willem-Alexander and State Secretary Eric van der Burg met with residents of Curaçao to discuss geopolitical tensions involving Venezuela. The meeting focused on the impact of these regional pre...

Mostly losers in Beverwijk, only Vrij! and Forum win on the right. Mayor Smit: ‘It will be another four difficult years’

Local parties Samen Lokaal and Vrij! Beverwijk emerged as the primary winners in the Beverwijk municipal elections and are expected to lead coalition talks. Mayor Martijn Smit expressed concern that t...

Father beats son in neck-and-neck race in Zandvoort

In Zandvoort, the political party OPZ, led by Patrick Berg, defeated Jong Zandvoort, led by his son Bram Berg, by a narrow margin of 99 votes. The father described the neck-and-neck race against his s...

GroenLinks and D66 grow to 11 and 7 seats in Nijmegen

Preliminary election results in Nijmegen show that GroenLinks and D66 have increased their representation to 11 and 7 seats respectively. The data, reported by the ANP Verkiezingsdienst, confirms grow...

Victory for FVD and JA21 in Almere, loss for PVV

Forum for Democracy (FVD) and JA21 saw gains in the Almere municipal elections, with FVD increasing its representation to four seats and newcomer JA21 also securing four seats. Meanwhile, the PVV lost...

GroenLinks-PvdA wins seat in Utrecht and is the largest party

The GroenLinks-PvdA merged party has become the largest party in Utrecht, securing 14 seats according to preliminary election results. This represents a one-seat increase from the 13 seats the parties...

One sheds a tear, the other can only cheer: This is election night at the Castricum town hall

Lokaal Vitaal emerged as the clear winner in the municipal elections in Castricum, securing three more seats than its closest competitors. Party leader Roel Beems celebrated the significant victory wi...

VVD, D66 and GroenLinks-PvdA each win four seats in Bloemendaal: coalition likely to continue

The VVD, D66, and GroenLinks-PvdA parties each secured four seats in the Bloemendaal local elections, with the VVD remaining the largest party by a narrow ten-vote margin. A continuation of the curren...

GL-PvdA largest in Eindhoven, followed by CDA

GroenLinks-PvdA has become the largest political group in Eindhoven's preliminary election results, securing 13 seats. The CDA followed in second place with nine seats, showing an increase from the pr...