Sybrand van Haersma Buma was on Friday elected the new leader of the Christian Democrats after taking more than 50% of the vote in a party membership ballot. More... comments (1)

Geert Wilders is taking legal action against the Dutch state in an effort to stop the Netherlands supporting the European financial emergency fund. More... comments (3)

Now the details have leaked out, a majority of Labour party voters no longer support the austerity package finalised by the five-party coalition earlier this week, according to a poll for television programme EenVandaag. More... comments (5)

Frisian as a university subject under threat
The only Dutch university degree course in Frisian language and culture may disappear because of a shortage of students, the Volkskrant reports on Friday. More...

Warmer weather on its way, but showers set to continue
The weekend will be warmer than recent days but there will still be heavy showers at times, particularly on Sunday, weather forecasters say. More...

Dutch gas companies set sights on Israel
Large natural gas reserves discovered under the Mediterranean sea close to the Israeli city of Haifa are proving a draw to Dutch firms, news agency ANP reports on Friday. More...

Staunch Protestant woman, 71, investigated for care home abuse
Social workers and police are investigating claims of abuse at a children's home in the Bible belt region of Staphorst, regional paper De Stentor reports on Friday. More... comments (3)

Minister questioned over Dutch ambassador to Albania
Foreign minister Uri Rosenthal has been asked to comment on a discussion in Albania about the Dutch ambassador's support for homosexuality, Nos television reports. More...

Thousands will lose jobs if road projects are halted
Some 3,600 people will lose their jobs over the next two years if the government presses ahead with a partial freeze on new road projects. More... comments (3)

Refugee protest camp grows (update)
Over 300 failed asylum seekers are now said to be living in a protest camp, set up outside the Ter Apel refugee centre in Groningen, news agency Novum said on Friday. More... comments (2)

Unions, opposition and health sector criticise austerity package
The package of austerity measures worked out by the government with the help of three smaller parties will hit working people hard, Agnes Jongerius, leader of the FNV trade union federation, said on Thursday. More... comments (2)

Austerity package details leaked, spending power cut by 2%
The five-party agreement aimed at reducing the Dutch budget deficit to below 3% represents extra tax income and spending cuts to the tune of €16bn, the Telegraaf reports on Thursday. More... comments (4)

Football club finances improve
Six professional clubs remain on the Dutch football association’s watch list because of their problematic finances, the KNVB said on Wednesday. More...

House sales down almost 20% in April
Just 8,236 houses changed ownership in April, a drop of 18% on a year ago, the land registry office Kadaster said on Wednesday. More...

Healthcare spending rose 3.2% last year
Spending on healthcare rose 3.2% last year, compared with 2010, the national statistics office CBS said on Wednesday. In total, €90bn was spent on healthcare and welfare services, the CBS said. More... comments (1)

Little support for Hedwige polder flood plan
A compromise plan to flood part of a polder in Zeeland to compensate for lost nature has failed to win majority support in parliament, news agency ANP said on Wednesday. More...

Football fans warned to behave in Ukraine and Poland
Dutch football fans are being given a special booklet drawn up by the Dutch football association and foreign ministry with dos and don'ts for June's European football championships in Poland and Ukraine. More... comments (1)

Minister yes, but MP no
Social affairs minister Henk Kamp and his deputy Paul de Krom, justice minister Ivo Opstelten, foreign minister Uri Rosenthal and transport minister Melanie Schultz are not standing for parliament in the September 2012 general election. More... comments (3)

Customers can continue to smoke in small bars, judges rule
Efforts by anti-smoking campaigners to reinstate a smoking ban in small cafes and bars failed on Wednesday when judges in The Hague ruled the law does allow exceptions. More... comments (24)

Turkish singer goes back home after Schiphol questioning
A Dutch concert by popular Turkish singer Arif Sag was cancelled this weekend after he gave up and returned home after lengthy questioning by officials at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport. More... comments (24)

Four teenagers held over video showing sexual assault
Four boys, two aged 13, have been arrested in Tilburg in connection with an internet film which appears to show a 14-year-old girl being sexually assaulted. More... comments (1)

Jewish groups may refuse to sign ritual slaughter covenant
Jewish organisations are considering refusing to sign the covenant on ritual slaughter currently being worked out by religious groups and government officials, Trouw reports on Wednesday. More... comments (1)

Fewer people set to go on holiday as recession continues to bite
Some 10.8 million of the Dutch 17 million population will head off on holiday this year, down 400,000 on a year ago, according to new research by the tourism board. More... comments (6)

Bad debts in the Netherlands pressure ABN Amro's first quarter
ABN Amro booked underlying net profit of €486m in the first quarter of this year, down 17% on the first three months of last year. More... comments (3)

It’s a deal: five party coalition finalises Dutch austerity package (update)
The minority coalition and three other parties have finalised their plans to cut the Dutch budget deficit to below 3%. More... comments (11)

Longest ice rink goes bankrupt
The longest ice rink in the Netherlands was declared bankrupt by a court in Zwolle on Tuesday, despite having earlier been given a postponement on paying its debts. More... comments (1)