This article lists some of the events that took place in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

in 2003.

Incumbents

*Monarch:

Beatrix Beatrix is a Latin feminine given name, most likely derived from ''Viatrix'', a feminine form of the Late Latin name ''Viator'' which meant "voyager, traveller" and later influenced in spelling by association with the Latin word ''beatus'' or "bles ...

*Prime Minister:

Jan Peter Balkenende Jan Pieter "Jan Peter" Balkenende Jr. (; born 7 May 1956) is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and jurist who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 22 July 2002 to 14 October 2010. Balkenende studied H ...

Events

* January 1 - The Ravenstein

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

ceases to exist and is amalgamated into the Oss municipality. * January 22 - Dutch general election, 2003 * February 10 - Mayor Haaksman of the

Delfzijl Delfzijl (; gos, Delfsiel) is a city and former municipality with a population of 25,651 in the province of Groningen in the northeast of the Netherlands. Delfzijl was a sluice between the Delf and the Ems, which became fortified settlement in ...

resigns amidst allegations of affairs, crises and scandals in his municipality. Former minister Annemarie Jorritsma-Lebbink is placed as interim mayor shortly here after . * March 14 - Opening of the Westerscheldetunnel * June 30 - Announced that Prince Friso is to marry Mabel Wisse Smit. * August 7 -

Arcen Arcen (; li, Árse) is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. In 2010, it became part of the municipality of Venlo. Previously, it had been part of the municipality of Arcen en Velden and the seat of the town hall (). In 2001, Arcen had 188 ...

is struck by a

heatwave A heat wave, or heatwave, is a period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity, especially in oceanic climate countries. While definitions vary, a heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in th ...

and reached a

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that expresses quantitatively the perceptions of hotness and coldness. Temperature is measurement, measured with a thermometer. Thermometers are calibrated in various Conversion of units of temperature, temp ...

of 37,8 °C. * October 10 - The Dutch Government revoke their approval of the marriage between Prince Friso and Mabel Wisse Smit. According to

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

the bride did not fully disclose her past and contact with top criminal Klaas Bruinsma. * December 12 - The

Dutch Reformed Church The Dutch Reformed Church (, abbreviated NHK) was the largest Christian denomination in the Netherlands from the onset of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century until 1930. It was the original denomination of the Dutch Royal Family and ...

Reformed Churches in the Netherlands {{Infobox Christian denomination , name = Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Dutch ''Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland'') , image = , caption = , main_classification = Protestant , orientation = Calvinist , polity = Presbyterianism , ...

and the

Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands The Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands ( nl, Evangelisch-Lutherse Kerk in het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden) was a denomination in the Netherlands which under that name existed from 1818 to 2004. In 2004, the denomination ...

decide to merge.

Sport

2002–03 Eredivisie The Dutch Eredivisie in the 2002–03 season was contested by 18 teams. PSV won the championship. League standings Results Promotion/relegation play-offs Top scorers See also * 2002–03 Eerste Divisie * 2002–03 KNVB Cup ...

* 2002–03 Eerste Divisie * 2002–03 KNVB Cup * 2003 Johan Cruijff Schaal * William Kipsang wins the

Amsterdam Marathon The Amsterdam Marathon (branded Tata Consultancy Services, TCS Amsterdam Marathon for sponsorship reasons) is an annual marathon (42.195 km) in Amsterdam in the Netherlands since 1975. The road running, road race has a IAAF Road Race Label Eve ...

Births

* 7 December –

Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange (Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Carmen Victoria; born 7 December 2003) is the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the constituent countries of Aruba, Curaçao, the Net ...

Deaths

* January 28 -

Mieke Pullen Mieke Pullen née ''Hombergen'' (14 July 1957 – 28 January 2003) was a Dutch long-distance runner who competed mainly in marathon races. She ran thirty races over the distance in her career, winning races in Eindhoven Marathon, Eindhoven, Amsterd ...

, runner (b. 1957) * August 17 - Bertus Lüske, criminal, assassinated in

Watergraafsmeer The Watergraafsmeer is a polder in the Netherlands. It was reclaimed in 1629. In the 17th and 18th centuries, there were many buitenplaatsen in the Watergraafsmeer, though nowadays only one, Frankendael, remains. Since 1921, the Watergraafsmee ...

* October 5 - Addict Anja Joos, kicked to dead by security people of a supermarket in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

after suspicions that she stole a small can of

lemonade Lemonade is a sweetened lemon-flavored beverage. There are varieties of lemonade found throughout the world. In North America and South Asia, cloudy still lemonade is the most common variety. There it is traditionally a homemade drink using ...

. The

receipt A receipt (also known as a packing list, packing slip, packaging slip, (delivery) docket, shipping list, delivery list, bill of the parcel, manifest, or customer receipt) is a document acknowledging that a person has received money or propert ...

was later found in her clothing. * October 24 - Death of René Steegmans * November 17 - 16-year-old Maja Bradarić, murdered.

References

Years of the 21st century in the Netherlands 2000s in the Netherlands

{{Netherlands-hist-stub