Summer Briefings
Every Saturday and Sunday this summer, The Hague Insider publishes a special Summer Briefing, taking a deep dive into the politicians, companies and policy issues shaping The Hague, Brussels and beyond. Today: Dutch Finance Minister Eelco Heinen. Our Summer Briefings are freely accessible during the summer period. If you'
Europe & EU
More than 70,000 migrants reached the Spanish exclave of Ceuta within days, exposing fresh tensions between European capitals and triggering emergency talks among EU migration ministers. While Tuesday's meeting was meant to demonstrate European unity after days of public accusations, several key questions remain unanswered. What triggered
Europe & EU
The immediate crisis in Ceuta may be fading, but the political aftershocks are only beginning. As EU migration ministers gather for an digital meeting on Tuesday, the Dutch government is demanding answers about how tens of thousands of migrants managed to breach one of Europe's external borders in
Europe & EU
A sudden migrant surge at Spain's southern frontier has triggered an coordinated response from the EU capitals. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten and 21 fellow European leaders are now demanding an emergency meeting of EU interior ministers, warning that the events in Ceuta could undermine confidence in the
Summer Briefings
Every Saturday and Sunday this summer, The Hague Insider publishes a special Summer Briefing, taking a deep dive into the politicians, companies and policy issues shaping The Hague, Brussels and beyond. Today: Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen. From Israel and Iran to NATO, Europe, Syria and the future of the
Europe & EU
As tens of thousands of migrants cross from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, alarm is spreading across European capitals. In The Hague, ministers are scrambling to respond to a crisis unfolding hundreds of kilometres away but with potentially significant consequences for Dutch politics, migration policy and the future
Africa
From discreet support for Russian journalists to multi‑million euro investments in Gaza, Congo and China, a new Foreign Ministry report offers a rare, detailed look at how the Netherlands is putting its human rights policy into practice. But behind the long list of projects lies a stark reality: shrinking
Summer Briefings
Every Saturday and Sunday this summer, The Hague Insider publishes a special Summer Briefing, taking a deep dive into the politicians, companies and policy issues shaping The Hague, Brussels and beyond. Today: Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten — the Netherlands' first D66 prime minister, the country's youngest-ever
Africa
For more than a year, the Dutch government has been deploying every diplomatic tool at its disposal to bring convicted drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers — better known as “Bolle Jos” — back to the Netherlands. Direct talks with Sierra Leone have yielded little. Attempts to rally European support for financial pressure have
Ukraine
Twelve years after Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board, the Netherlands is still pursuing justice on multiple legal fronts. International courts have increasingly concluded that Russia bears responsibility for the disaster, yet compensation, full accountability and any form of admission
United States & Canada
As political pressure on the International Criminal Court intensifies from multiple directions, the Dutch government has now taken a clear position in one of the most consequential crises in the Court's history. Ahead of a decisive vote by the ICC's member states on 24 July, The
Africa
The death toll is rising at an alarming pace, the World Health Organization fears thousands of infections may still be undetected, and international funding remains under pressure. As the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa escalates, the Dutch government is stepping up its contribution — but health officials warn the crisis could