Politics News in English
Latest politics headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Letschert proud of plan for mandatory internship compensation
Dutch Minister of Education Rianne Letschert has expressed pride in a new cabinet proposal to legally mandate internship compensation for vocational and higher education students. She stated that inte...
Minister still has no plan for housing vulnerable groups
Minister Eleanor Boekholt-O’Sullivan has not yet formulated a concrete plan to provide housing for vulnerable groups facing critical needs. While various stakeholders have developed preliminary buil...
Spectacular: judges find traffic fines too high, potential consequences for cabinet policy
Three judges have ruled against the government's decision to increase traffic fines for 2024 and 2025. These rulings could significantly impact national traffic fine policy in the Netherlands.
Cabinet wants more control over government cloud usage
State Secretary Willemijn Aerdts has announced plans to reduce the Dutch government's reliance on American tech companies for cloud services. The initiative aims to enhance data sovereignty and securi...
Holiday park residents allowed to stay, government introduces new rules
The Dutch cabinet has reached an agreement with municipalities to allow permanent residents of holiday parks to remain in their homes. Additionally, the government is developing new regulations to fac...
Vijlbrief: Meat might be 'a bit' more expensive due to temp agency ban
Dutch Minister Hans Vijlbrief suggests that meat prices may increase slightly starting in June 2028 due to an upcoming ban on temporary employment agencies in the meat sector. He defends the policy as...
Flash powder on suspect could link to explosive attack
Provinces once again urge municipalities to house status holders
Dutch provinces are resuming their oversight role by calling municipalities to account for failing to meet housing targets for refugees with residency permits. While provinces have a legal mandate to ...
Polish PM believes Ukraine wants to de-escalate after row
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Ukraine is committed to improving its tense relationship with Poland. This announcement followed discussions between the foreign ministers of both countri...
Uproar in Belgium over exam question describing Leopold II as a 'shrewd strategist'
A controversy has emerged in Belgium over a school exam question that describes King Leopold II as a 'shrewd strategist'. Critics are upset because the question fails to mention the atrocities committ...
Mandatory internship compensation, but no minimum amount
The Dutch cabinet has decided that all students will be entitled to a mandatory internship allowance in the future. However, the government has not set a minimum amount, allowing for significant varia...
Former top official: curfew was proposed due to student housing
Former senior official Hanneke Schipper-Spanninga testified that the implementation of a curfew was first considered in September 2020 due to difficulties in enforcing coronavirus regulations within s...
Interpol seeks Ukrainian woman (39) after Monaco bombing
Interpol has issued a red notice for 39-year-old Ukrainian national Anastasiia Berezovska in connection with a recent bombing in Monaco. Reports suggest the suspect was recently spotted in Germany, wh...
Possible traffic fine increases may violate European law
The Advocate General has advised the Supreme Court that significant increases in traffic fines may conflict with European law. The advice argues that individuals who are unable to pay should not be su...
Former senior official: logical that OMT advice was leading
Former senior civil servant Hanneke Schipper-Spanninga testified before the parliamentary inquiry committee on coronavirus that it was logical for OMT recommendations to guide government policy. She e...
Former senior official: cabinet had to deal with clashing fundamental rights
Former senior official Hanneke Schipper-Spanninga testified to the parliamentary inquiry committee that the Dutch cabinet faced the challenge of balancing conflicting fundamental rights when formulati...
Ironically, the appointment of the district administrators will likely prove the simplest part of the reform
Much criticism of Castricum coalition agreement: 'many ambitions, but few real choices'. 'This is emptying the municipal treasury'
Opposition parties in Castricum have criticized the new coalition agreement for being overly ambitious while lacking clear decision-making. Despite the criticism regarding financial management, all pa...
Zelensky: rescue operations continue in Kyiv following Russian attack
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that rescue operations are ongoing in Kyiv following a major Russian attack on the capital. While emergency responders have cleared significant amounts ...
Reinier van Zutphen to step down as National Ombudsman
Watch along: corona hearing with senior official who had to weigh fundamental rights
Legislative lawyer Hanneke Schippers-Spanninga and 'Vrouwen voor Vrijheid' co-founder Romy Quint are testifying on the 16th day of public corona hearings. The hearings focus on the evaluation of funda...
First public appearance by Iranian Guard commander since war began
Ahmad Vahidi, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, has made his first public appearance in Tehran since the recent conflict with the US and Israel. During the event, he paid tribute to the la...
Deaths in Ukraine following new Russian attacks
Recent overnight Russian attacks in Ukraine have resulted in at least four deaths and ten injuries, according to local authorities. These strikes mark a continued escalation in the ongoing conflict.
Newspaper: investigation into damage in Brussels after large US party
Authorities in Belgium are investigating reports of property damage at the Royal Museum of Art and History in Brussels following a large party hosted by U.S. Ambassador Bill White. The newspaper Het N...
FVD and Liberaal Blauw claim opposition role outside Velsen council agreement; coalition parties deny alliance
In the municipal council of Velsen, political parties are debating the nature of their cooperation, with FVD and Liberaal Blauw claiming an opposition role outside of the council agreement. The situat...
Heemstede council keeps purse strings tight despite healthy savings. Funds reserved for sports facilities, primary schools, and town hall
The municipal council of Heemstede has opted for financial restraint during the budget framework discussions, despite the town's currently healthy financial position. All proposals requesting addition...
In the 1970s, Grote Bickersstraat was a disaster to live in. What did the municipality do? Only fix the facades
IJmond receives most funding from traffic safety budget. 2.6 million from the province for safer roads
The province of Noord-Holland is awarding 5.8 million euros in subsidies to ten municipalities to improve road safety and develop cycling routes. The IJmond region will receive the largest share, tota...
Ministry of Defence invests tens of millions in drone company and takes golden share option for the first time
The Dutch Ministry of Defence is investing tens of millions of euros into Intelic, an Amsterdam-based company specializing in drone control software. As part of this deal, the ministry will secure a '...
Former Olympic canoeist charged with vandalism of Reflecting Pool
Former Olympic canoeist David Hearn has been charged with property damage following allegations that he damaged the Reflecting Pool in Washington. The 67-year-old suspect has previously denied intenti...