Latest Mark Rutte News

Dutch caretaker government unveils budget plan to spend 2 billion per year extra to fight poverty

Sep. 19, 2023 12:09 PM EDT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The caretaker Dutch government announced Tuesday that it will spend an extra 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) per year to tackle poverty in this nation where the gap between rich and poor is shaping up as a major campaign theme ahead of a November general election. ...

EU reshuffles Commission as antitrust chief Vestager vies for bloc's top banking job

Sep. 05, 2023 15:38 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union's Commission is reshuffling more of its top management because antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager of Denmark is seeking to become the president of the European Investment Bank. Vestager is the second Commission vice president in as many months to...

Army veteran who served in Afghanistan is named foreign minister in Netherlands' caretaker Cabinet

Sep. 04, 2023 09:51 AM EDT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Hanke Bruins Slot, a military veteran who served with the Dutch army in Afghanistan, was appointed Monday as the Netherlands' new foreign minister. She replaces Wopke Hoekstra, who is in line to become a European Union commissioner. Bruins Slot had...

EU Commission president will propose Dutch foreign minister as successor for climate czar Timmermans

Aug. 29, 2023 13:15 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The EU's top official said Tuesday she would nominate the foreign minister of the Netherlands as the commissioner in charge of climate action to fill the void left by the departure of Frans Timmermans, who resigned last week to run in the Dutch general election. ...

Dutch foreign minister is the 'right man' to fill European Commission post, prime minister says

Aug. 25, 2023 10:09 AM EDT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Friday that the foreign minister of the Netherlands is “the right man” to to fill a European Commission vacancy after Frans Timmermans quit this week to lead a center-left bloc into the country's November general election. ...

EU climate czar Frans Timmermans quits job to lead center-left coalition in Dutch elections

Aug. 22, 2023 12:06 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union's climate chief quit his job in the EU’s executive arm Tuesday and will lead a broad center-left coalition of social democrats and greens going into the Dutch elections in November. Social Democrat Frans Timmermans, 62, was the only candidate...

Zelenskyy thanks Danes in person for F-16s, though the planes won’t have an immediate war impact

Aug. 21, 2023 11:11 AM EDT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Danish lawmakers Monday for helping his country resist Russia’s invasion, a day after Denmark and the Netherlands announced they will provide Kyiv with F-16 warplanes that could be delivered around the end of the year. ...

The Netherlands and Denmark will give F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, the Dutch prime minister says

Aug. 20, 2023 17:02 PM EDT

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands (AP) — The Netherlands and Denmark announced Sunday they will give F-16 warplanes to Ukraine, in a long-awaited announcement that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called an important motivation for his country's forces that are embroiled in a difficult...

Denmark and Netherlands pledge to give F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine as Zelenskyy visits

Aug. 20, 2023 16:57 PM EDT

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands (AP) — The Netherlands and Denmark announced Sunday they will give F-16 warplanes to Ukraine, a long-awaited announcement that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called an important motivation for his country’s forces, embroiled in a difficult counteroffensive...

EU climate chief Frans Timmermans is set to lead the center-left bloc into Dutch general elections

Aug. 11, 2023 06:49 AM EDT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans is the only candidate to lead a merged campaign between two left-leaning parties in the Dutch general election in November, the parties announced Friday. Timmermans, a former Dutch foreign minister...