Rob Jetten has become the youngest and first openly gay prime minister of the Netherlands after his minority government was sworn in
The 38-year-old claimed victory in October’s election with his Democrats 66 party (D66) narrowly beating anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders in a nail-biting election.
Jetten formed a centre-right minority government with the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the Christian Democratic Alliance (CDA).
It is a minority cabinet, meaning every major reform in the coalition deal – from an extra €19bn (£16.6bn) for defence to painful cuts in healthcare and benefits – will have to be negotiated vote by vote in the Netherlands’ two parliamentary houses.
The coalition also wants fewer asylum seekers, with refugees having to apply for asylum outside Europe, not after they arrive.
Asylum migration has been a particularly sensitive issue in Dutch politics, contributing to the downfall of the country’s last two coalition governments.
Jetten succeeds Dick Schoof as prime minister who oversaw one of the shortest-lived governments in Dutch history.
D66 will provide seven ministers, VVD will provide six, and CDA five, with three state secretaries each – junior members of cabinet.
Jetten was formally sworn in by King Willem-Alexander at the Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague on Monday.
Posting a selfie ahead of his swearing-in ceremony, Jetten wrote on X: “Proud to be doing this together. In a new phase, with great responsibility and, above all, a shared promise to work for everyone in the Netherlands.
“By not dwelling on what’s wrong, but by building on what can be improved. That requires courage and collaboration.”
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