News

For more than 130 years, the Veldhovens Muziekkorps (VMK) has been a vibrant cornerstone of local culture, continuously bringing generations together through the joy of live...

A new NS discount pass offers people the opportunity to travel unlimited during off-peak hours for 49 euros per month and was introduced at the request of, among others, Progressief Nederland, due to the rising energy prices caused by the Iran war.

Severe weather expected in the Brabant region. KNMI has issued an orange alert due to evening thunderstorms.

The Dutch Cabinet is preparing to slash funding for the construction and maintenance of roads, waterways, and rail networks to plug multi-billion-euro deficits, sparking critical decisions over which national projects will be shelved. Despite the looming budget cuts, State Secretary Annet Bertram has signalled that urgent repairs to the Amsterdam-Rotterdam high-speed line and the rollout of the new European railway safety system (ERTMS) remain "absolutely vital" priorities that are unlikely to be axed. To cushion the blow of these reductions, Infrastructure Minister Vincent Karremans is exploring alternative funding routes, including private sector financing and European subsidies.

The Dutch government is keeping its options open to build two new nuclear power stations at either Eemshaven in Groningen or Terneuzen in Zeeland, presenting a difficult dilemma for ministers ahead of a final decision later this year. While national grid operator TenneT explicitly backs Eemshaven as the technically optimal choice, the region is fiercely opposed to nuclear energy following years of gas extraction damage, whereas Terneuzen boasts strong public support but would require massive, expensive upgrades to the local electrical grid.

Next week will see widespread strikes across the Netherlands as cleaners and metal workers join public transport staff to protest against government spending cuts. Organised by trade unions, the industrial action targets planned reductions to state pensions (AOW), unemployment benefits (WW), and disability support (WIA). The disruptions will include a total halt to morning train services and a 24-hour cleaners' strike on Wednesday, followed by a full-day walkout by regional metal workers on Friday, as unions demand that the government permanently drop the cuts.

The Netherlands has firmly rejected a proposed €1.9 trillion EU budget, with Prime Minister Rob Jetten warning that Europe cannot build a modern economy using a financial blueprint from the 1990s. Ahead of a deadlocked EU summit, Jetten insisted that the 2028–2034 budget must prioritise security and competitiveness over outdated agricultural subsidies, vowing not to rush into a deal that leaves Dutch taxpayers with an unacceptable bill.

Forecasters have added to an existing yellow heat warning with an alert for severe thunderstorms and large hail across the country this Friday afternoon. While the heatwave triggers the RIVM’s National Heat Plan everywhere except the Wadden Islands, the KNMI has warned that the breaking weather could bring sudden wind gusts and hail up to 4 centimetres in diameter, following a night of heavy downpours in the south.