Best Netherlands Current Affairs Podcasts (2025)

1
The TikTok Terrorism Tango Edition - Week 17 - 2025 1:04:30

1h ago1:04:30

1:04:30

The passing of Pope Francis managed to put the king's birthday birthday celebrations and Pieter Omtzigt's dramatic departure from politics in the shade this week. The coalition leaders emerged from a marathon negotiation session with a spring budget deal designed to please everyone except the taxpayers. Intelligence services accuse Iran of planning…

1
week 17 1:04:36

32m ago1:04:36

1:04:36

week 17 by DutchNewsBy DutchNews

1
Ethische kwesties rond ernstige misdrijven 50:25

4d ago50:25

50:25

De gevolgen van moord en doodslag zijn groot. Niet alleen emotioneel, maar op elk vlak in iemands leven: financieel, relationeel en qua gezondheid. Op papier lijkt alles goed geregeld, de afgelopen twintig jaar hebben slachtoffers en nabestaanden onbeperkt spreekrecht gekregen in de rechtszaal, er zijn schadefondsen en er is Slachtofferhulp. Maar b…

1
Empire State of Mind: Russell Shorto on the Dutch Roots of New York 54:12

12d ago54:12

54:12

New York City was once just a small Dutch outpost called New Amsterdam. How did a modest trading colony become the global icon it is today? Join us for a deep dive with acclaimed historian Russell Shorto, who has spent decades uncovering the Dutch origins of America’s financial and cultural capital. From Manhattan’s first skyscrapers to Wall Street…

1
The Crossing Zebras and Hoarding Coots Edition - Week 15 - 2025 1:07:24

13d ago1:07:24

1:07:24

An Easter egg scramble begins in The Hague as ministers try to grab a morsel of the €8 billion available in his spring budget statement. The Binnenhof's history as a medieval palace turns out to be even longer and richer than we suspected. Academics at Dutch universities face extra screening to prevent them stealing scientific knowledge, while stud…

1
De lakmoesproef van Leijtens 51:31

18d ago51:31

51:31

De Nederlander Hans Leijtens is nu twee jaar hoofd van de Europese grensbewakingsorganisatie Frontex. Hij werd aangesteld om schoon schip te maken, nadat zijn voorganger door fraudejagers werd beticht van mensenrechtenschendingen. Slaagt Leijtens in zijn opdracht?

1
The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum Ministry Edition - Week 14 - 2025 1:11:24

20d ago1:11:24

1:11:24

Once again Marjolein Faber confounds critics and partners alike with her bottomless talent for turning a storm in a teacup into a political maelstrom. Dick Schoof insists his cabinet is united behind his decision to clean up the mess caused by Faber's refusal to honour five volunteers for working with refugees. Elsewhere, a majority of MPs back a b…

1
A Lifetime in Diplomacy: Former UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson 1:07:41

23d ago1:07:41

1:07:41

How can the UN uphold its humanitarian mission in an increasingly polarized world? Has it ever truly fulfilled its purpose of protecting human rights, and what role does diplomacy play as global tensions rise? Join us for a hybrid conversation with Jan Eliasson, former UN Deputy Secretary-General and President of the General Assembly, drawing on a …

1
Trouble in Paradise: On the Crisis of Democratic Capitalism with Martin Wolf 1:00:54

23d ago1:00:54

1:00:54

Martin Wolf is one of the most prominent voices in the world of politics and economics of our times. In an era of inequality, political polarisation, and global power shifts, he asks the uncomfortable questions: Has capitalism betrayed democracy? Is rising authoritarianism a failure of the market—or the system itself? And most importantly, can we t…

1
The No Tupperware For Old Wolves Edition - Week 13 - 2025 1:06:05

26d ago1:06:05

1:06:05

This week it was the turn of the immigration service and the justice inspectorate to take Marjolein Faber to task over her unravelling immigration plans. Amsterdam is shocked as five people are stabbed in an apparently random attack near Dam Square. Travellers to the United States are warned about Donald Trump's backward shift on LBGT rights. PSV h…

1
Hoe zorg je voor leefbare wijken? 49:27

1M ago49:27

49:27

In Arnhem maakt het nogal uit in welke wijk je woont. In wijken met veel sociale huur gaat het niet goed met de leefbaarheid, zeggen bewoners. Ze hebben last van overlast en veel problemen komen juist in deze wijken terecht. En juist in de kwetsbare wijken verdwijnen er voorzieningen. Om de kloof tussen wijken in de stad te dichten wil de gemeente …

1
The Urk Kids Get Stoned In The Biblical Sense Edition - Week 12 - 2025 1:04:01

1M ago1:04:01

1:04:01

Dick Schoof heads to Brussels for a defence spending summit with orders to pull the emergency brake on the Eurobonds train. Back in The Hague, the PVV holds its own prisons minister hostage over her plans to solve the overcrowding problem in jails. And the education minister wants to attract foreign talent to universities that are cutting down on i…

1
The Back to Frugality Edition - Week 11 - 2025 1:01:46

1M ago1:01:46

1:01:46

The latest crisis to engulf Dick Schoof's cabinet sees three coalition parties vote against the prime minister on Europe's rearmament plan to support Ukraine. GroenLinks-PvdA speed up plans for a merger, almost as if they expect an early election. JA21 MP Joost Eerdmans, a PVV councillor and Groningen's former mayor all get into difficulty in their…

1
Verdacht van misdaden en onuitzetbaar 50:27

2M ago50:27

50:27

Asielzoekers die worden verdacht van misdaden in hun eigen land krijgen geen status. Maar wat als je niet terug kan, omdat je thuis gevaar loopt? Enkele honderden mensen in Nederland zitten momenteel in die situatie. Hen wacht een leven in de illegaliteit. Een groep waar geen zicht op is en waar geen politicus zijn handen aan wil branden. Maar door…

1
The Who's Ringing Dick's Doorbell Edition - Week 10 - 2025new 1:00:31

2M ago1:00:31

1:00:31

There's no such thing as an unqualified success in Dick Schoof's coalition of the unwilling. The prime minister steers a €3.5bn aid package to Ukraine through parliament, but faces accusations of a stitch-up from Geert Wilders. Marjolein Faber's asylum plans are finally signed off in cabinet but are likely to meet stiff resistance in the Senate. Po…

1
The Cray Me A River Edition - Week 9 - 2025 1:07:40

2M ago1:07:40

1:07:40

An €8 billion windfall turns out to be a poisoned chalice for the cabinet as the coalition parties start scrambling for a piece of the pie. The four parties can't agree on how to mark the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is also the subject of Marjolein Faber's latest faux pas. More freelancers are going out of business a…

1
Het mondkapjesgoud 51:50

2M ago51:50

51:50

Sywert van Lienden wist met de mondkapjesdeal met de overheid miljoenen te verdienen. Het kwam hem en zijn zakenpartners op veel kritiek te staan. Van Lienden deed in de media voorkomen dat hij met de verkoop van mondkapjes niets verdiende. Onderzoeksjournalisten van KRO-NCRV hadden voor de documentaire Het mondkapjesgoud de beschikking over nieuwe…

1
The Sober As A Ugandan Bunker Edition - Week 8 - 2024 58:40

2M ago58:40

58:40

The mission to realise the "strictest asylum policy ever" takes another twist as housing minister Mona Keijzer bans local councils from giving refugees priority housing while Marjolein Faber gives them a €30,000 incentive to do exactly that. Women's rights, higher education and Unicef are no longer relevant to the Dutch national interest, Reinette …

1
The Lock Up The Wolves Edition - Week 7 - 2025 42:11

2M ago42:11

42:11

As Karl Marx once observed, history repeats itself: the first time as tragedy, the second as farce, the third as Marjolein Faber's asylum policy. The cabinet is on the brink of collapse for the umpteenth time as Geert Wilders blames NSC for his favourite minister's failure to cut any ice with the Council of State. Gelderland province also hits a le…

1
The Manure Hits The Windmill Edition - Week 6 - 2025 1:09:54

2M ago1:09:54

1:09:54

The BBB is the latest coalition party to be plunged into crisis as an MP quits and the local party in its Overijssel heartland splits over "irreconcilable differences". The three face mask millionaires are told to pay back their ill-gotten gains in a judgment that is scathing of the health ministry's carefree attitude to spending public money. Brus…

1
Israel-Palestine Series: Yossi Klein Halevi on the Role of Narratives 1:10:59

2M ago1:10:59

1:10:59

Room for Discussion is proud to announce a new interview series. ❗Disclaimer: Room for Discussion is a journalistic student-led interview platform which encourages open dialogue and the sharing of diverse perspectives. The opinions expressed by individual guests and audience members in our interviews are solely their own and do not reflect the view…

1
Toppling Europe's Last Dictator: A Conversation with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya 1:06:55

2M ago1:06:55

1:06:55

Join us for a powerful discussion with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the Belarusian opposition and a global symbol of the fight for democracy. We'll delve into her journey from presidential candidate to exile, the ongoing struggle against authoritarianism in Belarus, and the challenges of rallying international support for democratic chan…

1
Show Me the Money! with Tony Murphy, President of the European Court of Auditors 59:58

2M ago59:58

59:58

Ever wondered how €186 billion in EU spending is scrutinized to ensure every euro counts? On 14th January, from 13:00 to 14:00, at the REC E-Hall, we’ll dive into the world of the European Court of Auditors (ECA) with its President, Tony Murphy. As the leader of the EU’s financial watchdog, Murphy ensures that the Union’s finances are transparent, …

1
Ruben Brekelmans, Dutch Minister of Defence 49:15

2M ago49:15

49:15

The way events unfolded on our platform today once again is deeply unfortunate. While we believe that protest is an integral part of a democratic society, we are dissapointed that the way it was carried out today hindered a free exchange of ideas. We are a platform run by students, for students which always strives to create a democratic environmen…

1
Spionnen op de Noordzee 50:59

2M ago50:59

50:59

Russische onderzoeksschepen met aan boord gewapende militairen schuimen de Noordzee af, op jacht naar Nederlandse datakabels, gaspijpleidingen en windparken, blijkt uit onderzoek van Pointer. Samen met een team van internationale journalisten speuren we de sociale media af van de bemanning, brengen morsecodes in kaart en gaan naar Estland om eracht…

1
The Hunebed Heist Way Edition - Week 5 - 2025 1:08:05

3M ago1:08:05

1:08:05

Another week, another round of infighting and backtracking in the coalition, this time over an eye-watering 0.4% increase in the rate of VAT. The Drents Museum is the reluctant star of an international heist drama stretching from Bucharest to Heerhugowaard. Calls for a fireworks ban grow louder following another rise in injuries and attacks on emer…

1
Geen woonplekken voor mensen met zware psychische problemen 50:33

3M ago50:33

50:33

Mensen met zware, psychische problemen kunnen nog steeds geen woonplek vinden, ondanks een nieuwe wet. Sinds 2021 hebben GGZ-cliënten recht op zorg via de Wet Langdurige Zorg, waarmee meer geld vrijkwam voor deze groep. Met deze wet zou er meer rust moeten zijn en intensieve begeleiding, maar doet deze wet wel wat die belooft?…

1
The Gourmet Flamingos and Wolves in Blankets Edition - Week 4 - 2025 1:03:33

3M ago1:03:33

1:03:33

A hazy cloud hangs over the cabinet after it loses another court case against its nitrogen reduction policy. Marjolein Faber's latest wheeze to send asylum seekers home is a one-way trip to Damascus, with compensation for going via Brussels. Shoplifters are getting away with theft and it's down to privacy laws, says a debt collection firm that was …

1
The Blueberry Monday Edition - Week 3 - 2024 1:00:53

3M ago1:00:53

1:00:53

Some people call it the most depressing day of the year: to others it's known as the return of parliament. Geert Wilders' coalition crisis roulette wheel lands on the spring budget cuts as he yet again vows not to budge an inch. The lawyer for drugs baron Ridouan Taghi is accused of abusing her privilege to run messages for her client in a case tha…

1
The Brabant Is Full of Used Needles Edition - Week 2 - 2025 1:06:15

4M ago1:06:15

1:06:15

In keeping with tradition, 2025 kicked off with an explosive row about whether to ban fireworks. Pharmacists go on strike for more pay while they warn about a shortage of supplies. The wartime archives of suspected Nazi collaborators are opened up and immediately stir up a hornet's nest. Blades are sharpened in the world of figure skating as the le…

1
Pointer: Criminele Kringen 52:40

4M ago52:40

52:40

Een special: Pointer Criminele Kringen. We zijn geobsedeerd door misdaad, we willen weten wie het heeft gedaan en hoe het zover heeft kunnen komen. Criminele Kringen, een special van Pointer van KRO-NCRV duikt in de achtergronden van de misdaad. Presentatie: Jos de Groot

1
Ophef of the Year 2024 - Bonus Episode 52:53

4M ago52:53

52:53

It's time once again for our annual round-up of the minor incidents that got everybody hot under the collar for five minutes on social media at some point this year. And what a bumper harvest it's been. Caroline van der Plas performed a hardboiled cunning stunt in front of Geert Wilders, a man called Willie fell foul of the regulations on phallic g…

1
Pointer: Voorbij de vrede 51:15

4M ago51:15

51:15

De vrede bewaren door ons voor te bereiden op oorlog. Dat is de boodschap die we voortdurend horen van de regering, de NAVO en veel analisten. Maar is dit inderdaad de enige weg? Pointer onderzoekt hoe internationale betrekkingen werken en welke rol de krijgsmacht daarin moet hebben. We spreken met het hoofd onderzoek van het Haags Centrum voor Str…

1
The Bright Lights and Bad Coffee Edition - Week 51 - 2024 1:04:21

4M ago1:04:21

1:04:21

Asylum minister Marjolein Faber produces her rapid-response emergency plan to deal with the urgent refugee crisis, a mere six months after taking office. Police believe the explosion in The Hague that cost the lives of six people may have been the work of an enraged ex-boyfriend. Farmers' party minister Jean Rummenie outlines his strategy on proble…

1
The Battle Beyond the Frontlines – On “Doctors Without Borders” with Karel Hendriks 56:43

4M ago56:43

56:43

Room for Discussion is honoured to welcome Karel Hendriks. He has worked with Médicins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) for over a decade and is now the Deputy General of the organisation and the Director of the Dutch branch, providing immediate life-saving care for people in conflict zones, natural disasters and epidemics. What is the mea…

1
Pointer pop-up: Kansenongelijkheid in het onderwijs (hele uitzending) 50:47

4M ago50:47

50:47

De afgelopen 11 jaar is er 265 miljoen euro uitgegeven aan onderwijsprojecten in Rotterdam Zuid. Om o.a. de taalachterstand in te halen en de kansengelijkheid te verbeteren is de verrijkte schooldag bedacht, een typisch topdown oplossing: het betekent daar leerlingen van de basisschool 10 uur per week meer naar school gaan. Werkt dat?…

1
The Did We Order This Government On Temu Edition - Week 50 - 2024 1:07:01

4M ago1:07:01

1:07:01

The Hague was in shock this week after six people died in a huge blast that police believe was an attack on a bridal wear shop. A "monster alliance" wrings concessions from the coalition parties on the education budget, but universities say the cuts will still damage the sector. Enhanced border checks come into force but experts say they will make …

1
The Badger Distinction Edition - Week 49 - 2024 56:16

5M ago56:16

56:16

The government is running out of time to make its education budget add up as opposition parties form a "monster alliance" against its spending cuts. Sandra Palmen, who blew open the childcare benefits scandal, is put in charge of compensating the thousands of victims. Two Dutch members of a gang who smuggled cocaine in crates of onions are given ey…

1
Werkgevers negeren mensen met een beperking 51:43

5M ago51:43

51:43

Nynke kreeg een arbeidsbeperking na een auto-ongeluk. Maar zegt ze: “Als je benen niet meer werken, zijn je hersens nog niet verloren”. Toch is het grote probleem dat mensen met een arbeidsbeperking nauwelijks kans maken op een baan. Want werkgevers staan niet voor ze in de rij. Pointer deed een rondgang langs politieke partijen en publieke omroepe…

1
The Gnome Sweet Gnome Edition - Week 48 - 2024 1:04:59

5M ago1:04:59

1:04:59

You don't need a degree in rocket science to work out that the government's higher education cuts are in deep trouble after opposition parties form a united front in the Senate against the €2 billion package. More budget headaches in Brussels as the EU raps the Netherlands over the knuckles for busting the deficit limit that it was instrumental in …

1
The Make Dutch Cheese Grate Again Edition - Week 47 - 2024 53:20

5M ago53:20

53:20

NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt returns to The Hague to survey the tattered remains of his Nieuw Sociaal Contract party. Two MPs follow junior finance minister Nora Achahbar through the exit, complaining of a lack of basic decency in government. Another NSC minister, Caspar Veldkamp, had an awkward day in parliament as he explained the consequences of th…

1
#35 - The "yearly" podcast 55:20

5M ago55:20

55:20

Going at the rate of 2 episodes per year, we really put a lot of time, effort and production into delivering this average piece of work for your entertainment for your listening pleasure. You might wonder, "When will be the next one? Is there going to be a next one?". Who knows, we may never know.... (or will we?)…

1
Komt de waarheid nog wel aan het licht? 50:40

5M ago50:40

50:40

Onderzoeksjournalisten krijgen te maken met lobbyisten die allemaal een eigen waarheid verkondigen. En ook wetenschappelijke bronnen zijn niet altijd onafhankelijk en vrij van beïnvloeding. De onderzoeksjournalist moet zich soms een woud van belangenverstrengeling doorkruisen om tot de feiten te komen. Lukt dat altijd? Hoe moeten onderzoeksjournali…

1
The No Product Placement In This Podcast Edition - Week 46 - 2024 51:20

5M ago51:20

51:20

Amsterdam has been hardly out of the headlines this week, after trouble before, during and after a football match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, with politicians at home and abroad pouring oil on troubled waters. Oil giant Shell, meanwhile, won the return match in its ongoing legal battle with environmental campaign group Milieudefensie. Health…

1
The Folkert Gets On His Bike Edition - Week 45 - 2025 1:00:41

6M ago1:00:41

1:00:41

The minister for tax affairs becomes the first casualty of Dick Schoof's cabinet as Geert Wilders settles a score with NSC over the asylum law. A police report reveals how criminals have infiltrated the healthcare system with fake qualifications and bogus agencies. Parents are blocked from checking their children's homework online, while the axe ha…

1
Het kat en muisspel in de zorgsector (2 november 2024) 51:16

6M ago51:16

51:16

Vijf jaar geleden deden wij bij Pointer onderzoek naar zorgcowboys. Zorgbedrijven die buitensporig veel winst maken en waar mogelijk sprake is van zorgfraude. In de tussentijd lijkt er nog niet veel te zijn veranderd en wordt er nog steeds ten onrechte zorg gedeclareerd. Hoe komt het dat het onderzoek naar zorgfraude in de praktijk zo stroef verloo…

1
The Dance to the Gallemiezen Edition - Week 44 - 2024 1:04:43

6M ago1:04:43

1:04:43

A frustrating week for asylum minister Marjolein Faber as all her hypothetical hard work on the government's emergency refugee law goes up in smoke. Geert Wilders rediscovers his appetite for bananas and democratic processes while Dick Schoof struggles to convince even himself that the "strictest asylum rules" ever will actually work. Meanwhile in …

1
Pop up Lelystad (19 oktober 2024) 51:22

6M ago51:22

51:22

Een maand lang deed de Pointer pop-up redactie onderzoek in Lelystad. Tijdens deze talkshow live vanuit de FlevoMeer Bibliotheek aan De Promesse 4 in Lelystad brengt de redactie verslag uit. Met Jongeren in de schulden worden moeilijk bereikt; en wat kunnen plannenmakers met bouwambities leren van fouten uit het verleden.…

1
The Brussels Banana Drama Edition - Week 42 - 2024 56:15

6M ago56:15

56:15

Geert Wilders insists he doesn't have a banana for a backbone, but his flexibility may have saved Dick Schoof's bacon for now ahead of a crucial cabinet meeting to finalise the government's asylum policy. Marjolein Faber's talent for confecting word salads throws the coalition parties into a state of confusion, while Reinette Klever cleverly rebran…

1
Post Trade Clarity: Gary Stevenson on Economic Inequality and the Future of Capitalism 1:00:27

6M ago1:00:27

1:00:27

Is wealth inequality the defining economic issue of our time? How has quantitative easing deepened the divide between the rich and the poor? What can be done to fix a broken economic system? Gary Stevenson, former Citibank trader turned economic activist, predicted the widening inequality post-2008 crisis and has been a vocal advocate for economic …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Netherlands Current Affairs Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen