Netherlands swears in youngest and first gay prime minister

 

 The new Dutch government has sworn in 38-year-old centrist Rob Jetten as the country's youngest-ever prime minister and the first openly gay one.

Mr. Jetten pulled off a stunning election win in October, coming from behind to dethrone the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) led by firebrand politician Geert Wilders by a razor-thin margin.

He succeeds Dick Schoof, whose government collapsed in the summer of 2025, triggering snap elections. Jetten’s party scored a narrow victory over the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) led by Geert Wilders.

 

Jetten now leads a coalition made up of his own Democrats' 66 (D66), the center-right Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), and the liberal People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). Together, the three parties control just 66 of the 150 seats in parliament, meaning that the new prime minister will depend on opposition support from day one.

 

His government is planning a big splurge on defense, pouring billions more euros into the military to reach the NATO spending target of 5 percent of gross domestic product.

 

Jetten’s government will also press ahead with closely watched plans to slash back emissions from the Netherlands’ massive livestock industry

 

Jetten takes office 117 days after last year’s general election and is also the first openly gay Dutch leader