The Five Biggest News Stories from the Netherlands This Week (October 13–20, 2026)

1. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten Is Expecting a Baby!

The Netherlands has made international headlines for a rather unusual reason: Prime Minister Rob Jetten is becoming a father!

Jetten and his fiancé, Argentine hockey player Nicolás Keenan, announced on October 19 that they are expecting their first child in spring 2027.

The baby will arrive with the help of a Dutch surrogate mother and an egg donor, both acquaintances of the couple.

As the Netherlands' first openly gay prime minister, Jetten is attracting attention worldwide.

The announcement has also sparked discussions about surrogacy and modern families.

Read more about Rob Jetten's baby announcement here.

2. Dutch Housing Market Finally Offers Buyers More Choice

Could the Netherlands' famously difficult housing market finally be improving?

New figures from Dutch estate agents show that the number of homes available for sale has increased by 24%.

The average existing home cost approximately €503,000 during the third quarter of 2026, an increase of 1.8% compared with a year earlier.

Interestingly, fewer properties are selling above their asking prices.

For buyers who have spent years competing against dozens of other interested people, this is encouraging news.

However, houses remain expensive, and the Netherlands still faces a serious housing shortage. More choice does not necessarily mean affordable homes.

3. Schiphol Airport Chaos: Hundreds of Passengers Miss Flights

Imagine arriving at Schiphol Airport, ready for your holiday, only to discover that passport control isn't working properly!

That's exactly what happened on October 18 when technical problems affected the airport's automated passport gates.

Passengers faced long queues, and hundreds reportedly missed their flights.

Airport authorities switched to manual passport checks while technicians worked on the problem.

Fortunately, the automated gates eventually returned to service.

For travellers, this was another reminder that even one technical failure can create enormous problems at a busy international airport.

The lesson? Arrive early, especially when travelling outside the Schengen Area.

4. Dutch Government Announces €18 Billion Infrastructure Plan

The Netherlands is famous for its excellent roads, impressive bridges, and complicated water management systems.

However, much of that infrastructure is getting old!

On October 16, the Dutch government outlined an €18 billion programme to repair and maintain ageing roads, bridges, locks, and waterways through 2041.

More than one-third of the money is intended for roads and waterways.

The investments are important because the Netherlands depends heavily on efficient transportation and water management.

For drivers, businesses, and tourists, the improvements should help keep the country moving.

Unfortunately, major maintenance projects may also mean temporary road closures and traffic disruptions.

5. Albert Heijn Cyber Incident Disrupts Supermarket Deliveries

Even grocery shopping became headline news this week!

Dutch supermarket giant Albert Heijn experienced serious technical problems following a suspected cyber incident.

The problems began on October 11 and affected deliveries, stock availability, and online grocery orders.

Some supermarkets experienced empty shelves, while customers struggled to receive their shopping.

Prime Minister Rob Jetten praised the company's decision to shut down systems preventively, suggesting that quick action may have prevented a bigger incident.

Albert Heijn subsequently worked to restore its operations, with online deliveries scheduled to resume on October 23.

The incident demonstrates how vulnerable modern supermarkets have become when their digital systems stop working.