Politics News in English
Latest politics headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Zelensky: Russia wanted to blackmail US by helping Iran
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of attempting to blackmail the United States by offering to halt intelligence sharing with Iran. In exchange, Russia reportedly demanded that the ...
Antwerp car fire suspects placed in closed institution
Two minors arrested for an arson attack near Antwerp's Jewish quarter have been placed in a closed institution by a juvenile judge. The suspects are charged with intentional arson and participating in...
Many ideas to curb price increases, but Parliament not aligned
The Dutch House of Representatives is debating various measures to help households and businesses cope with rising prices, including fuel price caps and tax cuts. However, political parties remain div...
Residents without elevator for a month and no solution in sight: It’s going so painfully slow
Residents of a ten-story apartment building in Amsterdam's Haarlemmerbuurt have been without a functioning elevator for a month, leaving many elderly tenants trapped or struggling with stairs. Housing...
Parties attack FVD over friendly stance toward Iran and Russia
Dutch coalition and opposition parties criticized Forum for Democracy (FVD) MP Ralf Dekker for his supportive stance toward Russia and Iran. During a debate on energy prices, Dekker proposed that the ...
White House: Trump to unleash hell if Iran continues fight
US President Donald Trump's spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, stated that Trump is prepared to "unleash hell" if Iran does not agree to a deal. The White House maintains that Iran must accept it has los...
Minister Sjoerdsma welcome in China for trade mission despite sanctions list
Dutch Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma will lead a trade mission to China after receiving confirmation that he is welcome despite being on a Chinese sanctions list. The visit was confirmed following a discus...
The blueprint for a Greater Israel
The article discusses the expansion of Israeli military operations from Gaza and the West Bank into Lebanon, suggesting a broader strategy for territorial gain. It draws parallels between the tactics ...
Rijkswaterstaat faces €20.5 billion shortfall, highway ramps to close: ‘Must make choices’
Rijkswaterstaat is facing a 20.5 billion euro budget deficit, leading to the indefinite closure of highway ramps across the Netherlands, such as the A2 ramp near Abcoude towards Amsterdam. The agency ...
Germany invests billions more to reduce emissions
Germany has announced plans to invest an additional 8 billion euros to reduce CO2 emissions, with funds directed toward projects like building more wind turbines. Despite the investment, experts remai...
Haarlemmermeer Municipality on unemptied bins during Meerlanden trial: ‘We see no reason to intervene’
The municipality of Haarlemmermeer has expressed support for a pilot project by waste management company Meerlanden that involves inspecting trash containers and refusing collection for incorrectly so...
Castricum executive slaps own wrist over Bakkum refugee housing: six months to find solution or pay €20,000 fine to itself
The Castricum municipal executive has imposed a self-penalty regarding housing deficiencies for status holders at the Stetweg location in Bakkum. The council has given itself six months to resolve the...
Lawsuit over Noorder IJ-plas wind turbines: what’s at stake
The City of Amsterdam is challenging the province of North Holland in court over the rejected permits for three wind turbines at the Noorder IJ-plas. While the province cites concerns regarding traffi...
Netherlands apologizes for civilian bombing in Mosul, offers compensation to victims
Dutch Defense Minister Dilan Yesilgöz has issued a formal apology to the relatives of victims of a 2016 Dutch airstrike in Mosul, Iraq, that killed civilians. The government has also decided to provi...
UN chief: Lebanon must not become the next Gaza
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that Lebanon must not suffer the same fate as the Gaza Strip. He emphasized that the Gaza model should not be repeated in Lebanon as regio...
Sarah Mullally takes office as religious leader of Anglican Church
Sarah Mullally has been formally installed as the first female head of the Anglican Church during a ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral in England. The event was attended by the British Prime Minister an...
Fifth suspect in synagogue explosion also held for terrorism
A 19-year-old man from Tilburg has been detained as the fifth suspect in a synagogue explosion in Rotterdam and is being charged with terrorism. The court ordered him to remain in custody for at least...
Left-wing parties want oil companies to pay for energy support
Dutch left-wing opposition parties SP, Partij voor de Dieren, and GroenLinks-PvdA are calling for oil companies to contribute part of their excess profits to a compensation fund. The proposed funds wo...
Not all of Gorinchem needs to vote in potential re-vote
If the Gorinchem city council decides to hold a re-vote due to potential fraud, it may be limited to specific polling stations rather than the entire municipality. According to the Electoral Council, ...
COA receives first penalty payment for Hardenberg asylum reception
The Dutch asylum agency COA has been fined 55,000 euros by the municipality of Hardenberg for failing to close an asylum seeker center after its operating agreement expired. The facility remained open...
Mark Versteeg is the new clerk of the Heemskerk municipal council
Mark Versteeg has been proposed as the new clerk for the Heemskerk city council, succeeding Gerard van Egmond. He will be formally introduced during the council meeting scheduled for April 1.
Will Gorinchem have to vote again? That would be extremely rare
Officials in Gorinchem are considering a re-election following strong allegations of vote harvesting during the recent local elections. While such a measure is extremely rare in the Netherlands, simil...
New housing plan along the railway in Santpoort-Zuid: Garages and gas station to make way
A proposal has been introduced to construct 80 to 100 homes near the Santpoort-Zuid railway station, replacing an existing gas station and garage boxes. Although the landowner has initiated the plan, ...
Hezbollah leader rejects negotiations during fighting
The leader of Hezbollah has announced that the Iran-backed movement will not engage in negotiations with Israel while military attacks on Lebanon continue. The group maintains that hostilities must ce...
Mona Keijzer nearly done with ‘amateurish’ BBB: ‘A glorified club of friends’
Mona Keijzer has sharply criticized the BBB party, labeling it "amateurish" and a "glorified group of friends" ahead of an upcoming members' meeting. She expressed frustration over the lack of clarity...
D66 and CDA show interest in price cap, VVD wants lower excise duties
Dutch political parties D66 and CDA have expressed interest in a proposal to cap fuel prices at the pump, with the costs funded by major oil and gas companies. The VVD instead advocates for lowering e...
Spike in oil trading before Trump's Iran message suggests insider trading
A suspicious surge in oil contract sales occurred shortly before US President Donald Trump issued a reassuring message regarding tensions with Iran. The unusual volume of trading activity just prior t...
Haarlem bars to stay open longer during World Cup?
The VVD party in Haarlem has proposed extending pub opening hours during the upcoming FIFA World Cup to accommodate late-night match broadcasts. Councillor Alexander Bruch argues that the move would s...
BBC appoints former Google executive as chief after Trump row
The BBC has appointed former Google executive Matt Brittin as its new director-general. Brittin succeeds Tim Davie, who resigned following a controversy regarding the television editing of a speech by...
Military chiefs from 30 countries discuss Hormuz coalition
Military leaders from the Netherlands and approximately thirty other nations are meeting in the United Kingdom this week to discuss forming a coalition to address the Iranian blockade of the Strait of...