Rob Jetten, at 38 years old, has officially become the youngest and first openly gay prime minister of the Netherlands, leading a new centre-right minority government following his Democrats 66 party’s narrow victory over anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders in the recent general election.
This minority cabinet, formed in coalition with the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy and the Christian Democratic Alliance, aims to implement major reforms, including increased defense spending of an extra €19 billion, reductions in healthcare and benefits, and stricter asylum policies requiring applications outside Europe.
The swearing-in ceremony took place on Monday at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, where Jetten was formally appointed by King Willem-Alexander, marking a significant shift in Dutch politics amid ongoing sensitivities around asylum and migration that toppled previous governments.
These developments follow Jetten’s October election win, fueled by public desire for a pro-EU, socially liberal leadership in contrast to Wilders’ hard-right stance. As a minority government, the coalition will need to negotiate parliamentary support for each policy.
Jetten’s Democrats 66 will contribute seven ministers, while the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy provides six and the Christian Democratic Alliance five, supplemented by three state secretaries each to support the administration’s agenda.
Posting a selfie ahead of his swearing-in ceremony, Jetten wrote on X: “Proud to be doing this together. In a new phase, with great responsibility and, above all, a shared promise to work for everyone in the Netherlands. By not dwelling on what’s wrong, but by building on what can be improved. That requires courage and collaboration.”
After being confirmed as prime minister, he posted the official photo on Instagram with a brisk caption “Let’s get to work.”
Jetten, once nicknamed “Robot Jetten” for stiff appearances, displayed confidence and ease during election night celebrations in Leiden, appealing to supporters as a fresh, upbeat alternative to established hard-right figures.
