Pray for Netherlands
Windmills from the 1700s along the waterways near Rotterdam.
Photo: Lucas Hirschegger, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
About Netherlands
The capital is Amsterdam. People speak Dutch, with Frisian in Friesland. Most people have no religious affiliation; Christianity is the largest faith.
Source: Wikipedia, with the cited sources it lists.
Prayer briefing for Netherlands
Last updated November 2026. Facts come from the sources listed below.
Current events
The minority government of Prime Minister Rob Jetten is still looking for enough opposition votes to pass its 2027 tax plan and budgets. On 29 October the JA21, SGP and BBB parties offered to back the plans together, in return for changes on nitrogen, asylum, abortion and taxes, while PRO and Volt are asking for heavier taxes on the very wealthy. New asylum applications fell about 13% in the third quarter, but shelters are still overcrowded.
We pray for: Immediate relief, safety and urgent help.
Leadership and politics
The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy. The King is Willem-Alexander and the Prime Minister is Rob Jetten of D66, the youngest ever, who leads a minority coalition of D66, the CDA and the VVD. It holds 66 of 150 seats, so it needs opposition support in both houses to pass its budget and laws.
We pray for: Wisdom, integrity and justice for those in authority.
Economic health
The economy is expected to grow about 1.4% in 2026 and about 1.2% in 2027. Inflation is expected to stay at about 3%, and gains in real wages and buying power are expected to weaken. The government also plans to change how savings and investments are taxed, which reports say will leave a gap of about 10 billion euros in the short term.
We pray for: Provision for families and honest stewardship.
Social and cultural issues
The Netherlands is home to many peoples, including large communities of Turkish, Moroccan and Surinamese descent. In early 2026 there were about 80,000 beds for asylum seekers against a target of about 103,000, and local protests have slowed new places. The King has said racism remains a problem, and both Muslim and Jewish people have faced rising hostility.
We pray for: Reconciliation, peace and protection of the vulnerable.
Spiritual landscape
In 2025 about 58% of Dutch people had no religious affiliation. About 16% were Roman Catholic, about 12% Protestant, about 6% Muslim and about 7% other faiths. Catholics are found especially in Limburg and Twente, and Protestants in Zeeland and northern Overijssel. About half of Protestants attend worship each month, while only about three in ten young adults are religious.
We pray for: Spiritual awakening, hope and the spread of truth.
Religious freedom
The constitution protects religious practice and bans discrimination, and stirring up hatred against people for their religion is a crime. Since 2019, full face coverings are banned in schools, hospitals, public transport and government buildings. Antisemitic incidents rose sharply after the attacks of 7 October 2023, and mosques have faced threats and vandalism, according to the US State Department.
We pray for: Protection for believers and freedom to worship safely.
Historical wounds
During the German occupation of World War II, about 102,000 Jews from the Netherlands were murdered, roughly three in four of the Jewish community, among them Anne Frank. In 2023 the King asked forgiveness for the Dutch role in slavery, and in 2020 he apologised for excessive violence during Dutch colonial rule in Indonesia.
We pray for: National healing, breaking old cycles and deep forgiveness.
Let us pray together
Our Father, we come to You together for the Netherlands. Give a safe place and care to every asylum seeker waiting for shelter. Give wisdom, integrity and justice to the King, the Prime Minister and all in authority, and help them work together. Provide for every family facing rising costs. Protect Jewish and Muslim neighbours and all who face hostility, and make this a land of welcome and peace. Awaken hope in a new generation, and let the truth of Jesus be known in every town. Keep every believer free and safe to worship. Heal the wounds of the occupation, slavery and colonial violence, and lead the nation in forgiveness. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Sources
- NL Times: hard right parties will back tax plan but want concessions (Oct 2026)
- NL Times: new asylum applications drop 13% in Q3, shelters still overcrowded (Oct 2026)
- AP via WTOP: new Dutch government led by Rob Jetten sworn in (Feb 2026)
- The Star: Dutch economy to grow 1.4% in 2026 (Aug 2026)
- NL Times: shortfall of asylum beds and dispersal law (Feb 2026)
- NL Times: religion in the Netherlands, 2025 figures (Mar 2026)
- US State Department: 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom, Netherlands
- Wikipedia: The Holocaust in the Netherlands
- Cyprus Mail: King apologises for Dutch role in slavery (July 2023)
More ways to pray
PrayerCast shares short prayer videos for the nations. Watch its video for Netherlands and pray along.
Watch the PrayerCast video for Netherlands
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