Out, In, Out Again: The Netherlands Skips Eurovision

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• The Netherlands drops out of Eurovision after all: Broadcaster NPO won’t send an act to Burgas in 2027, citing too little support amid objections to Israel’s participation. (DutchNews.nl, NOS)
• Israel votes, and nobody wins outright: Exit polls show Netanyahu’s Likud losing five seats to 27, with neither bloc near the 61 needed for a majority. (NOS, NU.nl)
• Watchdog blocks the sale of Unox: Regulator ACM stopped Zwanenberg buying Unox and Zwan, saying it’d control 60 to 85 percent of rookworst and soup markets. (NL Times, NOS)
• Schiphol’s nature permit could stay in limbo until 2028: The Council of State is weighing whether to refer nitrogen questions to the EU Court of Justice, which would pause the case. (NU.nl)
• Bad foundations could mean a smaller mortgage: From 2027, NHG lenders must deduct expected foundation repair costs, averaging €92,000, from loans on homes rated D or E. (NU.nl, NOS)
• A crypto recluse tops the Quote 500: Bitfinex chief and former Tether CEO Jean-Louis van der Velde is now the richest Dutch person, with an estimated €26 billion. (NOS, NU.nl)
• Beekse Bergen keeper dies after leopard attack: The keeper, who’d worked at the safari park for nearly 40 years, died of head and neck injuries on Tuesday. (NL Times, DutchNews.nl)
• Amsterdam’s Transkliniek saved, for now: Alderman Araya Sumter promised extra money to cover part of the clinic’s rent, but it’s unclear whether that’s enough. (Het Parool)
• Amateurs Excelsior’31 knock ADO out of the cup: Excelsior’31, an amateur club from Rijssen, beat Eredivisie side ADO Den Haag 6–5 on penalties after a 1–1 draw. (NOS, NU.nl)

What’s on in Amsterdam (Wednesday 28 October 2026)

• Canto Ostinato with the film The Netherlands from Above: Three musicians play Simeon ten Holt’s piece at Tuschinski while Karel Tomeï’s aerial film of the Dutch landscape plays behind them. (Wednesday 28 October, 19:15–20:30, Pathé Tuschinski, Rembrandtplein (Centrum))
• Joel Ross Good Vibes: Blue Note vibraphonist Joel Ross brings his five-piece band to the Bimhuis for one night to play his album Gospel Music. (Wednesday 28 October, 20:30–22:00, Bimhuis, Oostelijke Eilanden (Oost))
• The Big Geek Quiz: Halloween Edition: SideQuest Bar in Zuid hosts a one-off geek quiz with a Halloween theme. (Wednesday 28 October, 19:00–21:30, SideQuest Bar, Oud-Zuid)

More on in Amsterdam

• Klaus Mäkela dirigeert Mahler 7 bij het Concertgebouworkest: The orchestra’s future chief conductor leads Mahler’s Seventh Symphony, which ends in a brass-and-percussion-heavy finale. (At various times, The Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam)
• Swan Lake: Rudi van Dantzig’s version of Tchaikovsky’s ballet is sold out in October and November but returns in April 2027. (At various times, Dutch National Opera & Ballet, opening)
• Walter Trout: The 74-year-old American blues guitarist plays Melkweg with songs from his new album, Sign Of The Times. (19:00, Melkweg)
• Quatuor Arod speelt Bartók, Carlos Simon en Fanny Mendelssohn: The award-winning Parisian string quartet, founded in 2013, plays in the Kleine Zaal. (20:15 - 22:20, The Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam)

Also in the news

• SCP: significant minority, mostly practically educated, feel disadvantaged: A Social and Cultural Planning Office study finds many Dutch people, especially the practically educated, feel politics leaves them behind. (DutchNews.nl, NU.nl)
• Acceptance of homosexuality declining at Dutch sports clubs: A Mulier Instituut survey found the share of athletes fine with a gay teammate fell from 85 to 66 percent since 2008. (DutchNews.nl, NOS)
• Parliament approves alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelets: The lower house voted Tuesday to let authorities make people with an alcohol ban wear a monitoring ankle bracelet. (NU.nl)
• Shipbuilder Damen cuts 225 Dutch jobs: Damen will cut about 225 of its 4,000 Dutch jobs at offices and shipyards over the next 12 to 18 months. (NL Times, NOS)