Amsterdam, Netherlands – Rob Jetten has been sworn in as the youngest prime minister in the history of the Netherlands, taking office at the age of 38 and becoming the country’s first openly gay premier.
Jetten’s minority government was formally inaugurated at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, where he was sworn in by Willem-Alexander. His Democrats 66 (D66) party narrowly won October’s general election, edging out anti-Islam populist leader Geert Wilders in a closely contested race.
Following coalition negotiations, Jetten formed a centre-right minority government with the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the Christian Democratic Alliance (CDA). As a minority administration, the coalition will be required to negotiate support for major reforms on a vote-by-vote basis in both houses of parliament.
Key proposals in the coalition agreement include an additional €19bn in defence spending, alongside cuts to healthcare and social benefits. The government has also signalled plans to tighten asylum policies, including requiring refugees to apply for asylum outside Europe.
Jetten succeeds former prime minister Dick Schoof, whose administration was one of the shortest-lived in Dutch political history.
In a message shared ahead of his swearing-in, Jetten said he was proud to begin a new phase of leadership marked by “great responsibility” and a commitment to work for everyone in the Netherlands. After the ceremony, he posted a brief message on social media: “Let’s get to work.”
Opposition leaders have already voiced concerns about the government’s financial plans, with critics arguing that ordinary citizens could bear the brunt of proposed spending adjustments. Nonetheless, Jetten’s inauguration marks a historic moment in Dutch politics, both for his age and for the broader significance of his leadership on the global stage.
