Politics News in English
Latest politics headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
No handshakes for FvD members: professor warns public rejection backfires
Political representatives from the Forum for Democracy (FvD) party are facing social exclusion and boycotts in various Dutch municipal councils, such as those in Rotterdam and Nijmegen. Experts warn t...
Residents bewildered after fences installed on Borneokade jetty: "This is so incredibly stupid"
The Amsterdam municipality has installed fences on a popular jetty at Borneokade to curb swimming access following a Council of State ruling to reduce nuisance for nearby houseboat owners. While local...
Housing Alderman Van Weyenberg: New coalition must provide more funding or adjust ambitions
Amsterdam's Housing Alderman Steven van Weyenberg has warned that the city's depleted housing fund requires the incoming coalition to either increase municipal funding or adjust housing targets. He em...
Geesterduin residents speak out against building plans: ‘It will be just like Amsterdam’s Zuidas’
Residents in Castricum expressed significant opposition to the Geesterduin 2.0 development, which consists of a new shopping center and 215 housing units. During a packed council meeting, critics comp...
Thugs in Zandvoort are pathetic losers
Authorities in Zandvoort have introduced preventive searches following a week of vandalism and public disturbances caused by troublemakers. Residents have expressed support for the increased police pr...
Stop and search should also be allowed on IJmuiden beach
A weekly poll is asking for public feedback on whether preventive police searches should be allowed on the beach in IJmuiden. The article invites readers to share their views on this security proposal...
The fastest way is slow
The author critiques Donald Trump's claims regarding his ability to end international conflicts quickly, specifically his assertion that he could resolve the war in Ukraine within 24 hours. The piece ...
Day one of the COVID inquiry: No ‘tribunal’ but several notable moments and insights
The Dutch parliamentary inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic response began with testimony from virologist Marion Koopmans and former minister Bruno Bruins. The commission is examining whether expert ad...
Defend Loosdrecht holds farewell march for mayor. 'The line is drawn at threats, incitement and calls for violence,' responds Mark Verheijen
The protest group Defend Loosdrecht is organizing a farewell march for acting mayor Mark Verheijen of Wijdemeren to voice their opposition to emergency asylum seeker housing. The group declared the ma...
Water board tax to double by 2050: Can the bill be shared more fairly?
Water board taxes in the Netherlands are projected to double by 2050 due to rising operational costs. This increase has sparked discussions on whether the tax burden can be redistributed more equitabl...
Why the House is finally turning against Lidewij de Vos
The Dutch House of Representatives has experienced intense debates and rising tensions as members revolt against Lidewij de Vos. These political developments in The Hague occurred during a week of hig...
Borneosteiger partially fenced off following Council of State ruling on resident nuisance
Cabinet 'impressed' by citizens' climate advice, but sets half aside
The Dutch cabinet has responded to recommendations from the Climate Citizens' Assembly, adopting dozens of suggestions while rejecting about half of the proposals. Key rejected measures include a CO2 ...
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...