Politics News in English
Latest politics headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.

Historic Haarlem tram line still very much alive despite downfall of ChristenUnie
A proposal for a historical tram line at Haarlem's Veerplas remains under consideration despite initiator Frank Visser losing his seat in recent elections. Negotiators from PRO, D66, and CDA are curre...

Trump to Charles: US has no better friends than the UK
U.S. President Donald Trump told King Charles that the United States considers the United Kingdom its closest ally. The statement aims to mend diplomatic ties following recent tensions sparked by Trum...

Hart voor Bloemendaal withdraws from exploratory talks, coalition participation ruled out
Hart voor Bloemendaal has withdrawn from the current coalition formation talks, effectively ending its chances of joining the local government. Party leader Marielys Roos cited a lack of trust in the ...

Ukraine must not become a forgotten war
The war in Ukraine is increasingly becoming a 'forgotten war' as media and political attention shifts toward conflicts in the Middle East. Many leaders are now focusing more on figures like Trump and ...

Housing for status holders remains a thorny issue in Castricum. Will it haunt the new coalition?
The housing of status holders remains a contentious issue in Castricum, having previously caused the collapse of the local government coalition. The recent resignation of a key spokesperson for status...

Trump: Tehran says Iran is on the verge of collapse
US President Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social that Iran is on the verge of collapse. He stated that Tehran has requested the United States to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible.

Explainer | Trump wants Jimmy Kimmel fired after joke about Melania: what’s going on?

Brussels seeks ‘cleanup’ of regulatory process
The European Commission has proposed a thorough overhaul of its regulatory process to eliminate outdated and redundant rules. This initiative aims to make Brussels' regulations simpler, clearer, and m...

Widespread opposition to new construction in central Nieuw-Vennep: business owners and residents fear parking shortage
Residents and businesses in Nieuw-Vennep are opposing the Mercator housing project due to concerns over traffic congestion and a shortage of parking spaces. Local supermarkets also expressed fears of ...
Ask our political reporters your questions
Political reporters are inviting readers to submit questions regarding their work and behind-the-scenes operations in The Hague. The initiative aims to provide transparency about how the political edi...

Haarlem and William II's coup: Though our little prince is small, he shall be stadtholder nonetheless. Hooray!
Following the death of his father in 1647, Willem II became the stadhouder of Holland and several other Dutch provinces, exercising command over the army and navy. The article examines historical even...

North Korea honors soldiers who committed suicide in Ukraine
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has praised soldiers who reportedly blew themselves up to avoid being captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting alongside Russia. Kim described the soldiers' actions ...

United Arab Emirates to leave OPEC oil cartel
The United Arab Emirates has announced its withdrawal from the oil cartel OPEC. The country also plans to stop participating in monthly OPEC+ meetings that involve non-OPEC members such as Russia.
United Arab Emirates to leave OPEC oil cartel
The United Arab Emirates has announced its decision to withdraw from the OPEC oil cartel. This move represents a significant blow to the organization of oil-exporting nations and its leading member, S...

Minister Heerma calls Loosdrecht vandalism 'unacceptable'
Dutch Minister of the Interior Pieter Heerma has condemned the vandalism of the Loosdrecht town hall as "unacceptable." He emphasized that public buildings belong to everyone and that local officials ...

Man pleads guilty to planning terror attack at Taylor Swift concert
A man pleaded guilty in a Wiener Neustadt court on Tuesday to planning a terrorist attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna. The 2024 threat resulted in the cancellation of three scheduled performan...

Investigation into trees in Haarlemmerhout and Frederikspark
The City of Haarlem is conducting a study into the health and future of approximately 1,000 trees within the Haarlemmerhout and Frederikspark. Independent specialists will assess tree conditions and s...

Ask the negotiators your question
Following recent elections, the political parties Pro Haarlem, D66, and CDA are negotiating a new coalition agreement for the city of Haarlem. Residents are invited to submit questions about the negot...

CDA, VVD MEPs vote against EU long-term budget
MEPs from the Dutch parties VVD and CDA voted against the European Parliament's proposed 2.2 trillion euro budget for 2028-2034. In contrast, D66 supported the proposal, which represents a 10 percent ...

Local parties object to name Progressive Netherlands
Nine local political parties, led by ProVeenendaal, have filed an appeal with the Council of State against the new name of the GroenLinks-PvdA alliance, Progressief Nederland (PRO). The parties argue ...

Energy crisis increases pressure on regional airports
Regional airports across Europe are facing increased pressure due to the consequences of the conflict in the Middle East. The trade association ACI Europe issued this warning during a recent meeting i...

Lecture on Protect Ukraine and performance by 12-year-old Ukrainian pianist at Bloemendaal Freedom Meal
On May 5th, Dorpskerk Bloemendaal will host a Freedom Day event featuring a lecture by author Jaap Scholten on his "Protect Ukraine" initiative. The celebration includes a performance by a 12-year-old...

European Parliament wants tax on crypto and online gambling
The European Parliament has approved a mandate for the 2028-2034 EU budget, proposing a total of 2.2 trillion euros. To fund this increased budget, negotiators suggest introducing new taxes on cryptoc...

Mayor on Loosdrecht: this undermines society
Mayor Mark Verheijen of Wijdemeren condemned violent riots in Loosdrecht, stating the actions of around fifty individuals go beyond asylum debates and undermine free society. On Monday night, rioters ...

Finland and Estonia report delays in US weapons
The presidents of Finland and Estonia report that deliveries of American weapons to European countries are being delayed. They attribute these delays to the United States prioritizing military shipmen...

Zelensky criticizes Israel over grain from occupied territory
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Israel for accepting a ship carrying grain from Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine. He condemned the trade of what he termed "stolen grain," stating ...

Israel issues new evacuation order for locations in southern Lebanon
The Israeli military has issued new evacuation orders for sixteen locations in southern Lebanon, following similar directives given over the weekend. The army stated that these measures are necessary ...

CNN: US speeds up deportation of unaccompanied migrant children
The Trump administration is reportedly accelerating deportation hearings for unaccompanied migrant children by moving court dates forward by weeks or months. According to CNN, these children sometimes...

VVD and JA21 move forward with community service ban for violence against emergency workers
The political parties VVD and JA21 are proceeding with a legislative proposal to ban community service sentences for individuals who commit violence against emergency responders. Despite receiving sig...

City of Amsterdam: King's Day quieter than last year
King's Day in Amsterdam was quieter and less crowded than the previous year, according to the city municipality. Mayor Femke Halsema's safety measures are credited with ensuring a more orderly celebra...