The Netherlands has sworn in 38-year-old centrist Rob Jetten as the country’s youngest-ever prime minister and its first openly gay leader.
Jetten secured a surprise victory in October’s general election, narrowly defeating the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) led by Geert Wilders. His win ended months of political uncertainty following a tightly contested race.
He formally assumed office 117 days after the election, succeeding Dick Schoof, whose administration collapsed in the summer of 2025, prompting snap polls.
Jetten will head a coalition government comprising his own Democrats 66 (D66), the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), and the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). The three parties together hold 66 of the 150 seats in parliament, leaving the new government reliant on opposition backing to pass legislation.
Among its top priorities, the coalition plans a significant boost in defence spending, committing billions of euros to bring the Netherlands in line with NATO’s target of allocating 5 percent of gross domestic product to defence.
The government is also expected to move forward with plans to curb emissions from the country’s large livestock sector, a policy that has drawn close domestic and international attention.
