Low Country Lowdown is the podcast for internationals in the Netherlands who want to stay in the loop.
Every Friday morning, we deliver a 20 minute explainer on the past week’s most important stories in Dutch news, politics, and society. We go beyond the breaking news by picking the major themes that will continue to shape the country.
Whether it's the ever-worsening housing crisis, consequential political feuds or the slow-burn disaster in the prison system, we explain why each story matters now and how it may play out in the months and years to come.
Every week, we're joined by an expat guest who shares their view and voices their most pressing questions.
Production & Presentation: Daniel da Costa & Allart van der Woude
Follow us on Instagram! @lowdown.nl (https://www.instagram.com/lowdown.nl/)
Email us for inquiries and tips: info@lowdown.nl (mailto:info@lowdown.nl)
www.lowdown.nl (http://www.lowdown.nl/)
Coalition Talks Face Issues & Maternity Care Crisis in Poor Neighborhoods
On today's Lowdown, the last one of Season 2, the D66 and the CDA political parties have been tasked with drafting the blueprint for a new government, a fragile starting point that excludes major players and leaves the country staring at two messy, uncertain coalition paths.
Our second segment discusses a stark new investigation that reveals collapsing maternity-care access in poorer neighbourhoods, where infant mortality is higher and commercial providers are pulling out.
After running through a handful of other headlines, we get to the Holland Hotline, where our international guest gets to ask their most pressing question about Dutch society.
Our guest Ned wonders what the Dutch think of the anglicization of the Netherlands in general and their language in particular.
Dutch news
Who cares?
You do.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on Instagram! @lowdown.nl
Email us for inquiries and tips: info@lowdown.nl (info@lowdown.nl)
Host: Allart van der Woude
Guest: Ned
Production: Daniel da Costa & Allart van der Woude
Music: David Coehorst & Andrés Aracena @davidcoehorst1000 @undres.a
Graphic Design: Linus Bonduelle @studio.lieneman
Social Media: Marguerite Nolan @margueritennolan
www.lowdown.nl (www.lowdown.nl)
7 Nov 2025
Migrant Workers Protection Axed, Ozempic in the Netherlands, and the Dutch Welfare State - Lowdown #20
Today on Lowdown, two quiet policy shifts with big consequences: the Dutch caretaker government has scrapped long-promised protections for low-paid migrant workers and, at the same time, approved new public insurance coverage for costly weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro.
We dig into what these choices expose about who really benefits from Dutch policy--from exploited workers to those at the front of the health queue--and what it all says about power and inequality in the Netherlands today.
After running through a handful of other headlines, we get to the Holland Hotline, where our international guest gets to ask their most pressing question about Dutch society.
After Mamdani's win in New York, our guest Kristo is curious about the Dutch welfare system.
Dutch news
Who cares?
You do.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on Instagram! @lowdown.nl
Email us for inquiries and tips: info@lowdown.nl
Host: Allart van der Woude
Guest: Kristo
Production: Daniel da Costa & Allart van der Woude
Music: David Coehorst & Andrés Aracena @davidcoehorst1000 @undres.a
Graphic Design: Linus Bonduelle @studio.lieneman
Social Media: Marguerite Nolan @margueritennolan
www.lowdown.nl
31 Oct 2025
The Election: Rob Jetten's D66 Wins Big & Geert Wilders' PVV Suffers Defeat - Lowdown #19
The election results are in, and they’ve shaken up Dutch politics. Under Rob Jetten’s leadership, the center-left D66 surged from 9 to 26 seats, overtaking Geert Wilders’ PVV to become the largest party in parliament. Wilders’ PVV saw a dramatic drop, slipping from 37 to 26 seats, just a few thousand votes shy of D66.
But beneath the headlines, the broader story is one of shifting ground: a continued normalization and entrenchment of the (far) right across the political landscape. For parties to the left of D66, the night proved to be a historic defeat.
In this episode, we unpack what drove these results by running you through the six most important points, from campaign strategies to voter behavior, and what challenges lie ahead in forming a new cabinet after one of the most consequential elections in recent memory.
Dutch news
Who cares?
You do.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on Instagram! @lowdown.nl
Email us for inquiries and tips: info@lowdown.nl (info@lowdown.nl)
Host: Allart van der Woude
Guest: Eleni
Production: Daniel da Costa & Allart van der Woude
Music: David Coehorst & Andrés Aracena @davidcoehorst1000 @undres.a
Graphic Design: Linus Bonduelle @studio.lieneman
Social Media: Marguerite Nolan @margueritennolan
www.lowdown.nl (www.lowdown.nl)
Who has been a guest on Low Country Lowdown
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Eleni
Juliette
Nilufer
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Spotify
5.0 / 5
37 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 27 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
37
Social presence
91
YouTube
0
Engagement
0
Contact Low Country Lowdown
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Low Country Lowdown?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
