Politics News in English

Health Council: COVID vaccine age limit can be raised from 60 to 70

The Health Council of the Netherlands recommends increasing the age limit for the annual COVID-19 booster vaccination from 60 to 70 years. People in their 60s will no longer be automatically eligible ...

Volkswagen faces high costs from US import tariffs

Volkswagen experienced a downturn in 2025, largely attributed to high costs arising from import tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. As a result, the German automaker announced plans to eli...

Azerbaijan sends aid to Iran after rising tensions

Azerbaijan has announced it is sending tons of food and medicine as aid to Iran following a period of heightened tensions between the two neighbors. The decision to provide assistance was made after a...

Anneke Terra and Sander Visser blend political colors: 'But Uitgeest remains Uitgeest. The residents make the village'

The political parties PvdA and GroenLinks in Uitgeest have merged following a collaboration initiated nine months ago by Anneke Terra and Sander Visser. The leaders expressed that while the parties ar...

From housing and a new pool to status holders: six election themes in Castricum listed

On March 18, the Netherlands will hold municipal elections. In Castricum, key campaign topics include housing, a new swimming pool, and the accommodation of status holders.

Costa warns: Russia is the only winner so far in Iran war

European Council President António Costa warned that Russia is the primary beneficiary of the conflict in the Middle East. He stated that rising energy prices boost Russia's war funding, while global...

Iran claims attacks on Israeli oil infrastructure in Haifa

The Iranian military claims to have launched drone attacks on oil refineries and fuel depots in the Israeli port city of Haifa. It is currently unknown if the strikes caused any significant damage to ...

A look inside Velsen's democratic process: ‘They make policy, but how do they know what’s going on?’

Residents of the Velsen municipality visited the town hall in IJmuiden to participate in the "Guest of the Council" program. The initiative aims to provide citizens with insight into how local governm...

Role swap at ChristenUnie: Yvonne Buit becomes Provincial Council member and Michel Klein duo-committee member

Michel Klein is stepping down as the leader of the ChristenUnie faction in the North Holland Provincial Council after eleven years. He will swap roles with Yvonne Buit, who currently serves as a duo-c...

Uitgeest Tolpad nearly finished, Heemskerk section must wait until 2028

The construction of a safer Tolpad connecting Uitgeest and Heemskerk is nearing completion, with the new bicycle path finished and the footpath expected to be ready within days. While the Uitgeest por...

European gas prices drop significantly after Trump remarks

European gas and oil prices saw a significant decline on Tuesday morning following statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump. Traders responded to the president's remarks suggesting that the conf...

Situation at metro stations during Ajax-Benfica uncontrollable and unsafe according to GVB staff

GVB employees reported that the situation at Amsterdam metro stations during high-risk football matches, such as Ajax against Benfica, was unsafe and uncontrollable due to extreme overcrowding. Intern...

How the expat debate went: ‘You are just as much an Amsterdammer as we are!’

Iran-backed group in Iraq reports deaths from US strike

An airstrike in northern Iraq has killed four fighters from the Iran-backed group Kata’ib al-Imam Ali. The group has attributed the responsibility for the attack to the United States.

Iran: Negotiations with the US no longer on the agenda

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Iran will continue its attacks for as long as necessary. He also announced that negotiations with the United States regarding the conflict are no lo...

Velsen Municipality reverses decision: 5,000 glass ornamental fish will not return to Kromhoutstraat in IJmuiden due to high costs and budget pressure

The municipality of Velsen has decided not to reinstall 5,000 glass decorative fish on Kromhoutstraat in IJmuiden due to high costs and budget constraints. This decision reverses a commitment made in ...

Dutch navy ship to protect French aircraft carrier and Cyprus from Iranian missiles and drones

The Netherlands has officially confirmed its participation in a French maritime defense mission to protect a French aircraft carrier and Cyprus. A Dutch naval ship will be deployed to provide security...

GroenLinks-PvdA Castricum calls for resistance: No more steel slag in our municipality

The GroenLinks-PvdA party in Castricum is urging the local government to resist national regulations that would allow the use of steel slag in the municipality. Party representative José Smits stated...

Israel carries out new strikes on southern and eastern Lebanon

Israel launched new airstrikes across southern and eastern Lebanon on Monday night and Tuesday morning. Lebanese state media reported the attacks as a continuation of military operations in those regi...

No sound insulation in wall between parsonage and De Krocht, municipality knew long before renovation: ‘No action despite promises’

A resident of a rectory adjacent to Theater De Krocht has taken the municipality of Zandvoort to court over the lack of sound insulation in a shared wall. Despite claims that the municipality was awar...

62 percent of young people feel their opinions don't count at municipalities

A poll by UNICEF Netherlands indicates that 62 percent of young people aged 10 to 18 feel their opinions are not valued by their local municipalities. Despite this sentiment, 72 percent of the surveye...

US and Iran exchange threats over oil

U.S. President Donald Trump stated during a press conference that a potential war with Iran would be over quickly. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard responded by asserting that they would be the ones to...

Young people on welfare more often have severe problems preventing them from working

The number of young people receiving welfare benefits has been increasing for three years, with individuals staying in the system for longer periods. These young adults often face complex mental healt...

How to keep Amsterdam attractive for ordinary people with average incomes? What political parties want to do

Loud explosion in Tehran, Israel announces wave of airstrikes

A powerful explosion was reported in Tehran shortly after midnight, with the impact felt across the city. Simultaneously, Israel announced the launch of a series of airstrikes.

More reports of suspected workplace misconduct in 2025

The Dutch House for Whistleblowers (HvK) reported a record high of nearly 700 advice requests regarding workplace misconduct last year, a significant increase from 467 in 2024. Despite legal protectio...

Trump suspends oil sanctions to secure supply

President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the United States will suspend certain oil sanctions to ensure market stability and secure supply. The announcement was made during a press conference a...

Erdogan calls Iranian president after missile interception

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian following the interception of a missile near the Turkish border on Monday. Erdogan emphasized that violations of T...

Israel recorded more attacks from Lebanon than from Iran last week

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar reported that Israel faced more attacks from Lebanon than from Iran during the past week. Saar shared these details following a conversation with Jeanine Hennis, t...

Putin and Trump speak about Iran and Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone conversation to discuss the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. According to the Kremlin, the discussion covered int...