23 years later, a French President pays an official visit to the Netherlands today. President Macron and his wife Brigitte are in Amsterdam and The Hague for two days. Reason enough to celebrate the bond of friendship between the two countries, including a four-minute gun salute and an official reception at the Palace in Dam Square.
Macron arrives at the invitation of King Willem-Alexander. King and Queen Máxima received the President of France and his wife at Dam Square this morning. In the afternoon there is a special lunch with the royal couple.
no pain point
There are almost no hot topics between the two countries; It is generally accepted that relations between France and the Netherlands are currently very good. The government information service therefore writes that the state visit once again confirms the “excellent relations between France and the Netherlands”.
Sustainability and an independent Europe are on the agenda of the state visit.
The Royal Military Band Johan Willem Friso plays the national anthems, the guard of honor is inspected, and a wreath is laid on Dam Square in Amsterdam this morning. Macron will then travel to The Hague, where he will meet with Speakers of the Senate and House, Jan Anthonie Bruijn and Vera Bergkamp. In the evening, a state banquet will be held at the Royal Palace in Dam Square, where Macron and Willem-Alexander will make speeches.
Tomorrow Macron and his wife, together with Prime Minister Rutte, will visit the Johannes Vermeer exhibition at the Rijksmuseum. They will also visit the University of Amsterdam and hold talks between the Dutch and French cabinets.
A French warship fires 21 rounds as part of the welcoming ceremony at the Amsterdam IJ. This was answered with 21 shots from the navy zone. “It is very unique for a visiting head of state to bring his own warship to greet the Netherlands on behalf of that head of state,” the municipality said.
The municipality warned that gunfire will be heard from a large part of the city; Many are expected to report this to the police. “Especially now many people are worried about the war in Ukraine or have experienced a war situation themselves. A few refugees from war zones live near the IJ and Marineterrein on the tip of the island of Java. The district, the city refugee shelter, and the COA will try to notify them in advance.”
The last official visit of a French President to the Netherlands was in 2000, when Jacques Chirac and his wife, Bernadette, visited Amsterdam and The Hague. In 2016, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima paid an official visit to France. The royal couple visited the then President Hollande at the Élysée Palace.
Jacques Chirac made an official visit to the Netherlands in 2000:
Macron was still in the Netherlands in January, but this was not a state visit. Then, Prime Minister Rutte and the President came together in Trêveszaal am Binnenhof and emphasized the good relations between the two countries. “This connection is particularly important, I would even say indispensable, because of the war in Ukraine,” Rutte said. They then ate a rice table at Poentjak, an Indonesian restaurant near Binnenhof.
Source: NOS

Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.