The election campaign gathers pace as Dilan Yesilgöz goes on the attack against GroenLinks-PvdA while also slamming the door on another coalition with Geert Wlders’ PVV. NSC narrowly avoids descending into chaos as one of the contenders in the race to lead the party into electoral oblivion drops out. Meanwhile, Dick Schoof secures a mandate to raise defence spending ahead of next week’s Nato summit with the support of Frans Timmermans. Amsterdam city council is criticised for letting disinformation thrive following the hit-and-run attacks on Israeli football fans in November. Fewer Dutch adults are smoking and drinking, but hiking cigarettes prices is not persuading hardcore smokers to stop. Scheveningen gears up for a vintage raw herring season, and there’s news of yet another last-minute bailout package for the crisis club Vitesse Arnhem.

Ophef of the week: Vintage tattooed condom sparks protests at Rijksmuseum

Train operator NS makes final offer to unions as rail strikes continue

DNA tests reveal wolf inbreeding in Veluwe (Omroep Gelderland)

News

Yesilgöz rules out deal with Wilders “even if he wins 50 seats”

PvdA and GroenLinks members vote en masse to merge parties

Van Hijum set to be NSC leader after Boomsma withdraws from race

Netherlands backs sanctions on far-right Israeli ministers

Dutch vote to increase defence spending ahead of Nato summit

Timmermans backs 3.5% defence spending plan but sets conditions

Dutch are drinking and smoking less, exercising more

Higher tobacco prices failing to deter smokers, says RIVM

New herring season opens in Scheveningen, catch described as “excellent”

Sport

Telstar begin first Eredivisie season since 1978 with trip to Ajax (Eredivisie website)

Local consortium comes up with final bailout package for ailing Vitesse (De Gelderlander)

KNVB issues damning report on Vitesse Arnhem’s licensing breaches (De Gelderlander)