Politics News in English

Opinion: Banner on Hannie Schaft and Hamas in Amsterdam council shows broader democratic tensions

Number of tourist overnight stays rises again to 23.7 million

Amsterdam recorded a new high of 23.7 million tourist overnight stays in 2025, surpassing the city's self-imposed cap of 20 million. Although the growth rate is slowing, the municipality anticipates n...

Number of tourist overnight stays increases again to 23.7 million

Tourist overnight stays in Amsterdam reached a record 23.7 million in 2025, exceeding the city's self-imposed limit of 20 million. Residents have initiated a lawsuit against the municipality for faili...

More female status holders must find work: special approach in municipalities

The Dutch cabinet is launching a targeted initiative in ten municipalities to help female status holders find employment more quickly. This approach aims to improve labor market participation among wo...

Tourist pressure spreads to De Pijp and Canal Belt West: neighborhoods officially on Amsterdam’s problem list

Inquiry hearings with Arib and Van Dissel next week

The parliamentary inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic will continue next week with public hearings featuring former House Speaker Khadija Arib, Jaap van Dissel, and Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg. These sessi...

PM Netanyahu reports military action across the Litani River

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Friday that Israeli troops have crossed the Litani River to conduct military operations in southern Lebanon. Israeli forces are also actively car...

Construction plan for 88 homes on Koekoeksbloem one step closer

The Castricum city council has unanimously approved a zoning change for the Koekoeksbloem site, moving the development project forward. This decision paves the way for the construction of 88 new homes...

This is why COVID inquiry chair Daan De Kort is wearing an earpiece

Daan de Kort, the chairman of the Dutch parliamentary inquiry committee into the COVID-19 pandemic, explained why he wears an earpiece during public hearings. He addressed the topic on Friday after re...

Brussels pledges 16 billion in EU funds to new Hungarian Prime Minister

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced the release of 16 billion euros in EU funds to Hungary. This follows a meeting in Brussels with the new Hungarian Prime Minister, Péte...

Emergency ordinance in Zandvoort all weekend: 'Immediate action against nuisance'

The municipality of Zandvoort has implemented an emergency ordinance for the weekend to allow police to act immediately against public disturbances following a series of violent incidents. The measure...

Cabinet working on solution for Ter Apel, possible tent camps on government land

The Dutch cabinet is considering setting up tent camps on government land to alleviate overcrowding at the asylum seeker registration center in Ter Apel. This measure is being evaluated as local munic...

Arrest in security risk zone near Zandvoort beach

A person was arrested on Thursday for insulting behavior within a designated security risk area at Zandvoort beach. During the police operation, approximately one hundred individuals were stopped and ...

Russia says it will soon take countermeasures against Romania

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova announced that the Kremlin will soon implement countermeasures against Romania. No specific details regarding the nature of these measures were pr...

Jetten also shocked by cost of ministers' private jets

Dutch Minister Rob Jetten expressed shock at the nearly 2 million euros spent by the government on private jet rentals for ministerial travel over the past five years. According to reports, the Minist...

Cabinet finds Netanyahu's Gaza plan extremely concerning

Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen has described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to occupy more of the Gaza Strip as extremely concerning. The cabinet maintains that the proposal co...

Haarlem redesigns Kleine Houtweg for more greenery and safety

The municipality of Haarlem will begin the redevelopment of the Kleine Houtweg at the end of this year to improve safety and increase greenery. The project involves narrowing the road and converting i...

Investigation into Badhoevedorp express cycle route halted: 'We take residents' concerns seriously'

The municipality of Haarlemmermeer has halted its investigation into a proposed fast-cycle route in Badhoevedorp between Sloterweg and Schipholweg. Alderman Marja Ruigrok cited resident concerns and t...

Monitoring of municipal bridge conditions falls seriously short: ‘Keeping this bridge open would be negligent’

A joint investigation has revealed that the safety of 66,000 municipal bridges across the Netherlands is uncertain due to a lack of national legislation and oversight regarding inspections. There are ...

More room for greenery and cyclists on the Kleine Houtweg

The Haarlem city council has approved a redesign of the Kleine Houtweg to prioritize cyclists, pedestrians, and green space, with construction scheduled to begin in late 2026. The project will convert...

Zelensky also accuses Russia of drone incident in Romania

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of a cynical attack after a drone struck a residential building in Romania near the border. The incident occurred during a Russian assault on ...

Romania wants closure of Russian consulate after drone incident

Romania has ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Constanșa and declared the consul persona non grata after a drone struck a residential complex. President Nicușor Dan announced the diplom...

European industry must be better protected against Chinese imports

The European Commission has declared that the current trade relationship with China is unsustainable and requires stronger protection for European industry. While Brussels still considers China an imp...

Koopmans critical of Dutch pandemic preparedness

Virologist Marion Koopmans testified during a parliamentary inquiry that the Netherlands remains inadequately prepared for future pandemics. She emphasized that a similar lack of urgency existed prior...

Koopmans: politicians fueled ‘bizarre’ threats

Virologist Marion Koopmans testified before the Dutch parliamentary inquiry committee on COVID-19, stating that certain politicians fueled "bizarre" threats against her. She criticized the spread of c...

Oil prices dip on hopes of potential Iran-US deal

Oil prices declined slightly on Friday following reports of a potential agreement between Iran and the United States. The deal is expected to include an extension of the ceasefire and the reopening of...

'Why do Bachplein and Europaplein get a blue zone?' Frustration among residents and business owners in Heemskerk after council decision

Residents and business owners on Rijksstraatweg in Heemskerk are frustrated after the local council rejected their request for a blue zone parking area. The community proposed the measure to address p...

UN calls for safer internet experience for children

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has called on governments and companies to better protect children's rights and safety online. The UN is introducing new guidelines to address digital risks concerni...

Hungarian police will no longer ban Budapest Pride

Hungarian police have announced that they see no reason to ban the upcoming Budapest Pride parade, a reversal from last year's prohibition. This policy change follows the transition from the nationali...

Koopmans: Tougher early action against COVID was not realistic

Virologist Marion Koopmans stated that implementing restrictive COVID-19 measures earlier than February 2020 was not realistic due to a lack of available information at the time. Although earlier acti...