Rob Jetten Sworn In as Dutch PM

Rob Jetten made history on Monday as he was sworn in by King Willem-Alexander, becoming the youngest-ever and first openly gay Prime Minister of the Netherlands.

At 38 years old, the centrist leader of the D66 party takes the helm of a nation seeking stability after the collapse of its most right-wing government in recent history.

Jetten’s rise follows a dramatic election victory last October, where he narrowly defeated Geert Wilders’ far-right Freedom Party (PVV) by campaigning on a platform of optimism and pro-European cooperation.

The new cabinet, which took 117 days to assemble, is a minority coalition consisting of Jetten’s D66, the centre-right CDA, and the liberal VVD.

With only 66 seats in the 150-member parliament, the government will be forced to negotiate with opposition parties to pass any major reforms.

While Jetten has promised to bring the Netherlands back to the “heart of Europe,” his administration maintains a “right-wing signature,” opting for budget cuts to social and unemployment benefits to fund a major €19 billion investment in military defence and NATO commitments.

On the domestic front, the coalition faces immediate challenges, including a persistent housing shortage and a long-running nitrogen crisis that has sparked intense friction with the farming sector.

While the government plans to continue strict migration policies similar to the previous administration, Jetten has emphasised a more collaborative approach to governance.

He has branded his team a “cabinet of collaboration,” urging both political allies and rivals to set aside populism in favour of practical solutions for the economy and climate.

The swearing-in at Huis Ten Bosch Palace marks a significant cultural shift for the Netherlands, a country that became the first to legalise same-sex marriage in 2001.

Jetten, who is engaged to Argentine hockey star Nicolás Keenan, has used his platform to reclaim national symbols from far-right rhetoric, presenting a vision of inclusive, progressive pride.

As he begins his term, the international community will be watching closely to see if his trademark “positive message” can survive the pressures of a fragmented parliament and a complex global landscape.