Politics News in English
Latest politics headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Brussels sends four firefighting aircraft to help France with forest fires
The European Commission has organized four firefighting aircraft from Cyprus and Sweden to assist France in battling wildfires in the southern part of the country. The planes are scheduled to arrive i...
Hamas dissolves its administration in Gaza Strip
Hamas has announced the dissolution of its governing body in the Gaza Strip, a position it has held for approximately two decades. This move is intended to facilitate the implementation of a peace pla...
Macron expresses solidarity with wildfire victims
French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed his solidarity with those affected by wildfires in southern France, which have led to the evacuation of thousands of people. He also thanked emergency se...
RIVM vaccination director: no plan B prepared for vaccinations
Jaap van Delden, the former RIVM vaccination program director, testified that no contingency plan existed for administering COVID-19 vaccinations when it became clear that general practitioners could ...
VVD council member Dennis Kornet wants Haarlem to stop being the capital of paternalism: 'Snack bar ban? My heart bleeds'
VVD council member Dennis Kornet has called for an end to restrictive policies in Haarlem, such as bans on snack bars. He argues that the city should prioritize entrepreneurial freedom to restore its ...
UN chief on AI: development faster than we can keep up
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that artificial intelligence is developing at a pace that humanity cannot keep up with. He is calling for the implementation of international regulati...
COVID inquiry with top official: 'De Jonge was simply very ambitious'
The Dutch parliamentary inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic continues this week, focusing on vaccination campaigns and the implementation of COVID access passes. High-ranking health officials testified...
Watch: Corona hearing with former RIVM director on vaccinations
A former RIVM director and a senior official from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport are testifying this week regarding COVID-19 vaccination campaigns and the use of digital health passes. Thes...
Risk areas growing larger and more dangerous every year: how France is trying to combat recurring summer wildfires
France is facing an increasing number of large and dangerous forest fires due to extreme weather conditions, which started earlier than usual this year. The government is currently deploying all avail...
Red card affair is a major scandal: Trade minister launched offensive, Trump 'fixed it' with Infantino
The suspension of the top scorer of the US national team during the 2026 World Cup was overturned following an intervention by the White House. This decision has sparked widespread outrage and disbeli...
Funeral procession for Ali Khamenei begins in Tehran
The funeral procession for Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei began Monday morning in Tehran, drawing a massive crowd according to Iranian state broadcaster Irib. Khamenei died at the start of the co...
Death toll in Kyiv rises following Russian airstrikes
Russian missile strikes on Kyiv between Sunday and Monday have resulted in the deaths of at least ten people. Ukrainian authorities confirmed the casualties following the overnight attack.
Historical Society remains opposed to new development at Van Merlelaan 23: 'Too many deviations from environmental plan'
The Historische Vereniging Heemstede-Bennebroek is opposing a new construction project at Van Merlelaan 23 in Heemstede. They argued during a hearing that the project deviates significantly from the m...
Underground parking garage in the heart of Zandvoort scrapped, CDA initiator is stunned and won't let it go
The municipal executive of Zandvoort has rejected plans for an underground parking garage beneath Favaugeplein, deeming the project unfeasible. The CDA, which initiated the proposal, expressed signifi...
Australian Prime Minister apologizes for sexual comments about Kylie Minogue
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has issued an apology for inappropriate remarks he made about pop star Kylie Minogue during a podcast appearance. The Prime Minister expressed regret after s...
More housing and traffic safety, less vacancy and nuisance. These are Heemskerk's plans for the next four years
The new coalition in Heemskerk, consisting of Heemskerk Lokaal, Hart voor Heemskerk, and CDA, has announced its plans for the next four years. Their priorities include increasing housing production, i...
Future of SRO at risk, say Haarlem and Velsen councilors: 'Concerns about survival'
Dozens of council members from Haarlem and Velsen have expressed concerns regarding the future of the municipal sports company SRO following a multi-million euro fraud scandal discovered in late June....
Return of nursing homes falters: cabinet allocates over 400 million
The Dutch government is allocating 420 million euros to accelerate the construction of elderly care housing. This initiative addresses the growing number of seniors who are unable to live at home and ...
Ukraine and Russia report reciprocal attacks
Ukrainian authorities reported Russian ballistic missile strikes targeting the capital city of Kyiv overnight. Officials confirmed the attacks occurred between Sunday and Monday.
Egypt opens expensive military headquarters larger than the Pentagon
Egypt has inaugurated its new military headquarters, known as the Octagon, which features eight buildings spanning 90 square kilometers. This massive complex surpasses the size of the Pentagon in Wash...
Rianne Letschert finds being a minister ‘quite lonely’: ‘A hug would be so nice sometimes’
Minister of Education Rianne Letschert reflects on the challenges of her role in Dutch politics, describing the position as isolating. In an interview, she discusses her personal life, including her d...
Is anyone home? Amsterdam municipality here: joining a home visit with the Vacancy enforcement team
Kremlin: Kyiv rejects temporary ceasefire around Kostiantynivka
The Russian Defense Ministry claims that Ukraine has rejected a proposal for a six-hour ceasefire near Kostjantynivka, which was intended to facilitate a prisoner exchange on Monday. Ukraine has not y...
Director of Humanitarian Aid at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: deep respect for USAR team
Nathalie Olijslager, Director of Stability and Humanitarian Aid at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed her deep gratitude to the Dutch USAR rescue team for their efforts following the severe ea...
Dylan Bakker steps down as Bij1 faction representative after conflict with Tofik Dibi: Cooperation is completely unworkable
German government considers withholding classified information from AfD
The German government is considering withholding classified information from state ministers who belong to the far-right party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stat...
Sons of Ali Khamenei bid farewell, Mojtaba still absent
Three sons of Ali Khamenei attended a farewell ceremony in Tehran for the late Ayatollah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike. Notably, his son Mojtaba was absent from the event.
Dirty water and crowds: nitrogen not the only cause of poor nature
The Dutch government is implementing strict nitrogen measures to address the decline of natural areas. However, experts emphasize that nitrogen reduction is only one part of the solution and further a...
The Greenhouse | All the climate underdogs turn out to be quite significant together after all
In his weekly column, climate reporter Jeroen Kraan reflects on the role of the Netherlands in the global climate crisis. Despite the country's relatively small share of worldwide CO2 emissions, he ex...
Skaeve Huse project in Velserbroek delayed as municipality reviews residents' request to relocate housing out of sight
The project to build six Skaeve Huse in Velserbroek has been delayed by at least six months. The municipality of Velsen is currently investigating requests from local residents to reposition the dwell...