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Are the rioters 'spoilt', 'frustrated' or on a 'moral holiday'? What the papers say

So who are the rioters who have taken to the streets all over the Netherlands for the past few days, and why are they rioting? Commentators and experts have been trying to attach some meaning to this week’s street violence. Journalist Catherine Keyl, who was present at some of the squatters riots in Amsterdam 40 years ago and made a documentary about Urk, is in no doubt in the Telegraaf. ‘It’s too easy to call these people scum, or say... More >

No football fan patrols, says minister

In total, 131 people were arrested, 81 of them in Rotterdam, on Tuesday evening, which remained mostly quiet despite fears that there could be more trouble in the wake of Monday’s riots. Most of the arrests were made for failing to provide ID or for illegal assembly, police said. There was a heavy police presence on the streets, but no major problems, a spokesman told broadcaster NOS. In Amsterdam, there were a few skirmishes in Osdorp, in the west of... More >

Jobless benefit claims to rise by 100,000

Social security benefit agency UWV said on Wednesday it expects the number of people claiming unemployment benefit (ww) to rise by 100,000 to 386,000 this year, as the effect of the coronavirus pandemic hits jobs. ‘It is clear that the pandemic is having an unparalleled economic impact, and it is unclear how and when the economy and jobs market will recover,’ said UWV board member Nathalie van Berkel. ‘We don’t, for example, know when the lockdown will end.’ The UWV... More >

Social housing tenants act as landlords

Over 1,000 homes in the rent-controlled sector are lived in by people who own other property and act as landlords themselves, according to research by the land registry agency Kadaster on behalf of the NRC. In total, 1,055 social housing tenants own 2,344 houses between them, with one person in Friesland topping the list with 59. Housing corporation umbrella group Aedes says it is ‘unpleasantly surprised’ by the figures, and describes the situation as ‘undesirable’. ‘Given the shortage of housing,... More >

Voting intentions largely unchanged so far

The introduction of a 9pm curfew and the childcare benefits fraud scandal have not had much impact on voters, seven weeks away from the general election, the Volkskrant reported on Wednesday. A new opinion poll from I&O Research confirms earlier trends – that voters have already made up their minds about who to vote for, the paper said. And if nothing changes in the coming weeks, the current coalition will be able to continue in power for a further four... More >

Local taxes rise by an average of 4.4%

Local government taxes are set to rise by an average of 4.4% this year, as councils seek to generate €11.3bn, according to new figures from national statistics office CBS. But there are sharp differences depending on where you live. In Overbetuwe in Gelderland, for example, the council plans on spending 21% more this year, but in the Noord Brabant town of Vught the budget is being cut by over 15%. Charges for waste collection and cleaning are rising by an... More >

More drivers ignore motorway lane closures

Transport ministry inspectors handed out 4,920 fines to motorists for ignoring motorway lane closure signs last year, a rise of 55% on 2019, according to departmental figures. ‘It is criminal to ignore a red cross, because you are risking others’ lives,’ infrastructure minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen told the Telegraaf. ‘The measure is there for a reason.’ Last year, 22 road maintenance vehicles and crash absorbers were hit by cars, as drivers failed to leave the lanes they were operating. The... More >

'Visitor restrictions worse than curfew'

Restrictions on the number of visitors to private homes are causing the Dutch more problems than the curfew, according to a survey by I&O Research for broadcaster NOS. While seven in 10 people think the cabinet was right to bring in a curfew from 9pm, just 47% approve of the decision to limit visitor numbers to one person per day, the survey found. And almost 40% said the visitor restrictions are causing them problems, compared with just 11% who are... More >

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