The number of people murdered in the Netherlands has dropped below 100 for the first time in years, according to figures from the 10 Dutch regional police forces and the Telegraaf.

By Monday, 98 people have been killed in acts of violence, spread across 94 cases the paper said. That marks a sharp fall compared with 2024, when 133 victims were recorded, and 2023, with 128.

Criminologist Marieke Liem, who heads the Dutch Homicide Monitor, said the number of victims has fluctuated between 100 and 130 a year for some time.

Nevertheless, she said, “compared with the 1990s, when the number of victims was roughly twice as high, we are seeing a substantial decrease.”

Of the 98 victims recorded so far this year, 63 were men and 35 women. Several children and teenagers were among the victims, while the oldest victims were in their mid-80s. The youngest suspect identified by police was 13, while the oldest suspect was 80.

Liem said vulnerability plays a role in many cases, including mental health problems, addiction and social isolation. “Homicide occurs in all layers of society and usually within someone’s own social circle,” she said.

The Netherlands saw just two contract-style killings this year, including a triple shooting in Oosterhout and a fatal shooting on a terrace in Rijswijk.

At least sixteen of the 35 female victims were killed by their partner or ex in what has become now known as femicide.

As in previous years, Amsterdam recorded the highest number of victims, with 10. Rotterdam and The Hague followed with five each.

Just three cases from 2025 remain unsolved, the paper said.