Around the grounds #1

1.
We have a new cabinet. After what we could call a shaky cabinet Willders under prime minister Schoof where one of the 4 parties left early and the other 3 couldn’t agree on harder immigration terms in the end caused a collapse. In 2025 we therefore had a new election that had (by a couple thousand votes) d’66 as winner. Led by Rob Jetten. With VVD and CDA they will form a new cabinet for the next 4 years. Because they don’t have a majority, they will need other parties to form policy.

Today, 23 of February it is the traditional beëdiging (swearing-in) of the new members of cabinet by the King in his house Paleis Huis ten Bosch followed by their picture taken on the steps in front of the Paleis joined by the King.


2.
Winter Olympics was a massive success for the Netherlands, ranking third of all competing countries. Impressive result for a country that only holds 18 million people and almost never has any snow anymore. In fairness we won everything with speed skating but regardless an amazing result.

Results: Gold 10 Silver 7 Bronze 3 Total 20

3.
Buying a house in the Netherlands was never this expensive, in January the house prices where 5,4 procent higher than a year ago. The main reason is the shortage. For years the Dutch cabinet tried to build more houses to lower the shortage problem but because of environmental rules, long running lawsuits with local residents and high costs of building it has not been a success. Rob Jetten, the new Prime Minister spoke about adding 5 new cities, hopefully this will release the tension on the housing market.

4.
Some history, on the 25th of February 1941 the Communist Party of the Netherlands organized the Februaristaking. The Netherlands was occupied by Nazi Germany. The protest was organized to stand up in the defense of persecuted Jews and the antisemitic laws that where enforced against them.
It started in Amsterdam and later followed by many other cities like Haarlem, Utrecht and Hilversum. The Germany retaliated with brutal force that resulted in 9 deaths and many injured and imprisoned. The cities had to pay high fines to the occupiers.

5.
Some fun events in the Netherlands you could visit coming in the next weeks.

27&28/2 February: A State Of Trance Festival in Rotterdam
If you like to dance on trance music, this is the event to visit.

6/3: Verknipt Ziggo Dome
On of the biggest F2F events in Europa

7&8/3: Rotterdam Tattoo Convention

19/3 Keukenhof is opening their impressive garden

February: Carnaval has many events spread out in many cities in the South and East of the Netherlands.

Thanks for reading, see you in two weeks!