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Party for Freedom leader Geert Wilders abandons his bid to become the next Prime Minister of the Netherlands citing a lack of support from other political parties in coalition formation talks. Wilders led his party to a surprise victory in the 2023 Dutch general election with 37 seats.
2024-03-13

In the Netherlands, the fourth Rutte cabinet collapses amid disagreements over asylum applications. Prime Minister Mark Rutte announces that he will submit his resignation on Saturday.
2023-07-7

Dutch caretaker prime minister Mark Rutte announces a three-week partial lockdown that requires bars, restaurants, and shops to close at certain times and reintroduces 1.5 m social distancing measures beginning tomorrow. The Netherlands is the first country in Western Europe to impose a lockdown since the summer.
2021-11-12

Prime Minister Mark Rutte extends the country's strict lockdown until the end of the month and advises against foreign travel until April 15. The curfew from 9 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. will remain in place through the election on March 17, but those working or visiting a voting booth will not be fined for breaching it.
2021-03-8

Prime Minister Mark Rutte extends all of the country's tough lockdown measures for at least a month due to the spread of more transmissible variants of SARS-CoV-2.
2021-02-2

In Vijfhuizen, the Netherlands, exactly three years after the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) disaster, the National Memorial for the victims is opened in the presence of King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
2017-07-17

Voters in the Netherlands go to the polls for a general election. Exit polls suggest that incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy will win the most seats in the election.
2017-03-15

Former Prime Minister of the Netherlands and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers is injured in a car accident and rushed to a hospital with minor injuries.
2013-03-8

Dutch general election of 2012, voters in the Netherlands elect new representation in the House of Representatives. The final prognosis shows 41 (+10) seats for incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and 40 seats (+10) for PvdA, Diederik Samsom's Labour Party, out of a total 150 seats. Four other parties get between 12 and 15 seats: SP 15 (0), PVV 13 (-11), CDA 13 (-8), and D66 12 (+2) The remainder, 16 seats, are divided among five more parties. The final televised debate is cancelled.
2012-09-12

Mark Rutte of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is asked by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands to become Prime Minister of the Netherlands leading a coalition government.
2010-10-7