Netherlands swears in youngest, first gay Prime Minister
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The Netherlands has sworn in 38-year-old centrist politician, Rob Jetten, as the country’s youngest-ever Prime Minister and its first openly gay leader.
The Netherlands has sworn in 38-year-old centrist politician, Rob Jetten, as the country’s youngest-ever Prime Minister and its first openly gay leader.
Jetten secured a surprise victory in the October general election, edging out the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) led by Geert Wilders by a razor-thin margin.
He assumes office 117 days after the polls, succeeding Dick Schoof, whose government collapsed in the summer of 2025 and triggered snap elections.
Jetten will now lead a coalition government comprising his Democrats 66 (D66), the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), and the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).
The three-party alliance holds 66 out of the 150 seats in parliament, meaning the new administration will require support from opposition lawmakers to push through key policies.
Top on the agenda for the new government is a significant increase in defence spending, with plans to commit billions of euros to the military in a bid to meet NATO’s target of allocating five percent of gross domestic product to defence.
The administration is also expected to move forward with plans to cut emissions from the Netherlands’ large livestock industry as part of its broader climate policy objectives.
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