Nathan Domon

On Sunday, French cyclist Pauline Ferrand-Prévot won the Tour de France Femmes. Yes, women do have their own Tour, and this year’s edition was arguably more fun to watch than the men’s, which turned into a one-man show with little suspense. Despite unprecedented enthusiasm, there's still a striking …

Ever tried watching women's sports? Good luck. You'll need to dig through YouTube channels, mess with dodgy streams, or beg your local bar to put it on. It's harder than it should be, and some people want to change that. On 2 July, Bar Lenie opens in Rotterdam. Calling itself ”Europe's first women's…

A day-long news livestream, angry politicians using bold campaign slogans, and a humble walk from the prime minister on the steps of the king's palace can only mean one thing: the Dutch government has collapsed – the third time over the past four years. What happened? On Tuesday morning, far-right l…

All around the world, workers are marching or taking a break today – it's Labour Day, a time to celebrate workers' rights. But not in the Netherlands, where 1 May is just another workday for most. Why's that? One reason is timing: for decades, Queen's Day (now King's Day) was celebrated just before …

Every spring, colourful tulip fields in the Netherlands draw huge crowds looking for a perfect Instagram photo. The flower is the country's national symbol. And at some point, the Dutch were so obsessed with tulips that it led to the world's first speculative bubble: Tulip Mania. Brought from the Ot…

Geert Wilders, the Dutch far-right leader, is often dubbed the ”Dutch Trump”. But he's currently losing ground, as Donald Trump's second term shakes Europe with tariff threats and a weakening transatlantic bond. His far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) is sliding in polls and, like other far-right part…

Amsterdam may soon require expats to complete a programme on 'becoming an Amsterdammer' in an attempt to bridge the growing gap between newcomers and longtime residents – a common problem in many European cities. This proposal would offer Dutch language lessons, an overview of the city's history, cu…

Trams and metros run on electricity but don't always use all the power available. The 'leftover' power can, therefore, be used for something else. The transport company of the Dutch city of Rotterdam is now the first in Europe allowed to share its surplus electricity with others. The city's tram and…

Have you ever wondered what your ancestors did during the war? In the Netherlands, you might now get a glimpse of the answer. The government just made public the names of 425,000 Dutch individuals suspected of collaborating with the Nazis during the Second World War. The war archive on suspected Dut…

French far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen has died aged 96. He was the founder of the National Front (FN), which is today one of France's leading political forces under the leadership of his daughter, Marine. His toxic views and polarising rhetoric laid the foundation for today's far-right popul…

With winter here, the Dutch are getting swept up in a fever of excitement and anticipation. There's one thing they look forward to every winter: ice skating on natural ice. It's a beloved tradition – and officially recognised as part of the country's intangible cultural heritage. Skating in the Neth…

Dutch police made an unusual discovery last week: a garden gnome made entirely of MDMA, the illegal substance used to make party drug ecstasy. ”We know drugs come in all shapes and sizes and many of those don't come as a surprise to us, but this one is special,” the police said. Weighing nearly two …

Since last Saturday, a life-size hologram of 19-year-old Betty Szabó has been standing in a brothel window of the iconic Red Light District in Amsterdam, knocking on the glass and silently asking passers-by for help. Betty, a Hungarian national, was found stabbed to death in a window brothel in the …

On Friday morning, Amsterdam shocked the world: antisemitic attacks were reportedly carried out in the city overnight after a football game between Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax Amsterdam. Videos shared on social media appeared to show small groups of people chasing and assaulting Maccabi f…

While Germany has just reintroduced border controls, France will extend controls at its borders with neighbouring Schengen countries – Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain – for another six months. French authorities cite terrorism threats and irregular migration concerns for …

”Would you like to buy some ecstasy?” Not a question you'd expect in a regular shop, but at a new pop-up in Amsterdam, that's exactly what you'll hear. Don't worry – no real drug is for sale. This mock store is a public experiment designed to simulate how regulated drug sales could work in practice.…

Like every autumn, Amsterdam flips upside down to become the mecca of electronic music. The Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) takes over the city for five days, drawing fans, DJs, managers, producers, and promoters from all over the world to network, discover new talent, and, of course, party. With more t…

They were treated as cowards and traitors, now their families want them to be recognised as being on the right side of history. Relatives of 20 Dutch men, who were jailed for refusing to fight to keep Indonesia a Dutch colony, are demanding their honour be restored. During the brutal war waged by th…

Imagine moving to the Netherlands, eager to follow the news, but when you turn on the bulletin, all you hear is complex Dutch – long words, convoluted sentences, and tricky guttural sounds. That's about to change. The Dutch public broadcaster has launched a daily news bulletin in simplified language…

The Hague has become the first city in the world to pass a law banning advertisements promoting fossil fuel products. Legislation passed last week spells the end of publicly and privately funded advertising that promotes fossil fuels, petrol cars, air travel and cruise ships. It will apply across pu…

Some 160 bars, restaurants, and festivals across the Netherlands have added sunscreen to their menus. Courtesy of a health insurer's initiative, the goal is to encourage better skin care in a country with a high occurrence of skin cancers. Participating locations receive the sunscreen at a reduced p…

The Netherlands' population has just hit 18 million – a milestone reached in just eight years, the fastest growth in the country since the baby boom. But this surge isn't driven by a booming birth rate. In fact, according to Statistics Netherlands, the death rate currently exceeds the birth rate. In…

The rapper and the unofficial mascot of the Paris Olympics, Snoop Dogg, has launched a coffee shop in Amsterdam, a city long known for its tolerance towards soft drugs – a sentiment the 52-year-old American rapper shares. ”Amsterdam has always embraced cannabis, and so have I,” he said in a statemen…

Herring stalls are iconic in Amsterdam's street scene, cherished by locals and tourists alike. Many have been there for decades and are passed down through generations, becoming integral to the city's landscape. However, a new city council rule to comply with EU regulations now threatens their exist…

NATO has a new boss. Yesterday, the outgoing and longest-serving Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, was officially selected to be the defence alliance's new general-secretary. He will take over NATO’s leadership on 1 October. While Rutte is praised internationally for his staunch Atlanticism and defe…

A party drug to treat severe health issues could soon become a reality. Last week, a state commission recommended that the Dutch government allow MDMA for treating people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Based on “promising results” from research in the US, they concluded that its use in …

The polls open today in the Netherlands, kicking off four days of voting across the continent in the European elections. The Netherlands stands out as an outlier in Europe by scheduling its elections on Wednesdays – except during EU elections when they are moved one day later to comply with the Unio…

When you think of a Dutch landscape, windmills might come to mind. But for locals, there's something else that's becoming all too familiar: drug labs. Set up to produce synthetic drugs like MDMA and amphetamines or process cocaine, these illegal laboratories can be found all over the country. Last w…

After almost 14 years of Mark Rutte as Dutch PM, a completely unknown technocrat with zero political experience is set to become his successor. Dick Schoof was tipped on Tuesday as the candidate to lead the new coalition dominated by Geert Wilders’ far-right PVV, which won a surprise victory in the …

The new right-wing coalition dominated by Geert Wilders’ far-right PVV has unveiled its coalition agreement. Along with ”the strictest asylum law ever” and reduced environmental regulations for farmers, one measure stands out: the VAT will increase from 9% to 21% for all cultural goods and services …

The mullet haircut is a life philosophy – that's at least what its enthusiasts claim. Last weekend, over 1,500 mullet-wearers gathered at the European Mullet Festival in Quievrain, Belgium. The festival has been running since 2019 and hosts a mullet contest with categories such as children, seniors,…

Six months after his shock election victory, the far-right leader Geert Wilders has sealed a deal with three other right-wing parties to form a coalition and lead the country. This is the first time the Netherlands will have a government that includes the far-right. The news was announced on Wednesd…

After the dramatic disqualification of Dutch Eurovision contender Joost Klein, the Netherlands remains furious, with many feeling the decision was unfair. So much so that calls for a 'musical Nexit' – the Netherlands pulling out of the song contest – are growing. Joost Klein – a top favourite with h…

Last Saturday was King’s Day, and the Netherlands turned into a sea of orange – the colour of the monarchy – as people celebrated King Willem-Alexander’s birthday. Yet it's impossible to mention the monarchy without noting that members of the Dutch royal house do not pay taxes like everyone else. Th…

It may sound absurd, but the Netherlands, a country without mountains, could soon triumph in an alpine skiing competition. Last week, Austrian skiing champion Marcel Hirscher announced he is making a comeback five years after retiring, but to the surprise of many, he will be competing for the Nether…

Amsterdam will build more public toilets for women; a hard-won victory for Geerte Piening. Nine years ago, unable to find a restroom after a night out, the young woman was fined for urinating in an alley. She took the issue to court, arguing that the lack of public toilets nearby left her no choice.…

For nearly a century, a direct daily train connected Switzerland and the Netherlands. This summer, its time has come. The Amsterdam-Basel line will cease operations on 15 July because the German operator Deutsche Bahn no longer wishes to operate it. The discontinuation carries significant symbolic v…

Amsterdam has no tram line 8. The line was used by the city transport service during the war to deport Jewish people to train stations, most of them on to their deaths. This scrapped line serves as a reminder that three-quarters of the Jewish population in the Netherlands was deported during the Hol…

Every spring, the Dutch tulips are in bloom, and the whole world wants to see them – or rather, be seen with them. Tulip fields have become a popular backdrop for selfies in recent years, much to the annoyance of growers who now complain about tourists entering their swampy fields and trampling thei…

The Dutch second-largest supermarket chain, Jumbo, has announced it will end discounts and bargain deals for meat to encourage a transition to plant-based diets. ”This is probably unique for supermarkets across Europe,” campaign activist Collin Molenaar from Wakker Dier, a Dutch animal welfare organ…

Dutch chip manufacturer ASML might be too big for the Netherlands. The company, based in a suburb of Eindhoven, has been raising the alarm over anti-immigration policies and a government including the anti-immigration party PVV. It says it will grow its business elsewhere or leave altogether should …