Politics

The Dutch Cabinet has approved a new bill granting police expanded powers to collect and monitor personal data from public social media accounts to prevent public order disturbances. Minister David van Weel argued the legislation "brings the police into the 21st century," pointing to recent violent riots at the Malieveld as evidence that authorities need better tools to track online-organised unrest. While current rules only allow officers to view public information, the new law will permit the formal extraction and use of this data; however, the powers do not yet extend to private or closed groups, though future plans to include them are already under consideration.

Forum for Democracy has clarified that it does not have a blanket policy to reject candidates who win council seats through preferential votes, despite reports of friction in several Dutch municipalities. While the party maintains that any requests for candidates to step aside are based on "tailored" agreements made in advance, several successful candidates in areas like Hoogeveen and Venlo have already left the party, claiming they were pressured to hand their seats to those higher up the list. Ultimately, while the FVD spokesperson insists there is no general guideline against personal votes, the resulting disputes have seen 11 candidates enter local councils without the party's formal backing.

Dutch mortgage rates have seen their sharpest weekly rise since March last year, with 41 lenders hiking prices following recent military escalations in the Middle East. According to De Hypotheekshop, the average rate for a 10-year mortgage with a National Mortgage Guarantee now sits at 3.99 per cent, marking one of the largest interest rate jumps since 2008. While these figures remain below the 4.55 per cent peak seen in recent years, experts warn that future costs will stay closely tied to energy prices and the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

The two main left-wing opposition parties in the Netherlands have officially merged under the new name Progressief Nederland. Led by Jesse Klaver, the new party aims to become the largest political force in the country while maintaining its focus on social justice.

The European Parliament has approved part of the EU‑US trade deal but added safeguards to ensure the United States honors its commitments. MEPs fear new US import tariffs and have introduced a “safety net” that allows EU concessions to be reversed if the US fails to comply.

Dutch opposition parties are calling for a windfall tax on energy giants to help households struggling with rising fuel and living costs. The proposals include price caps and tax cuts to offset the economic impact of international conflict. This movement puts increasing pressure on the cabinet to move beyond monitoring and take direct financial action.

Former MP Mary Fiers has been appointed as an informateur (coalition scout) to explore potential political coalitions in Eindhoven following the recent elections. While the largest party is leading the process, several smaller parties have called for more transparency and a focus on the city's shift towards the political centre.

Opposition parties say the cabinet is rushing parliament into approving the legislation for the European migration pact. GroenLinks‑PvdA MP Lisa Westerveld argues that the bill is too large and complex to assess properly in the short time available. The IND has also warned that it expects major implementation problems.