Rob Jetten, 38, will be sworn in as the Netherlands' youngest and first openly gay prime minister leading a D66–CDA–VVD coalition that holds 66 seats, nine short of a majority. The government pledges full support for Ukraine and to meet NATO spending targets while financing defence investments through budget cuts rather than deficits. It also plans tougher migration rules, including stricter family reunification, and potential cuts to some social benefits. Lacking a majority, the new cabinet will rely on opposition support to pass major reforms.
Rob Jetten Poised To Become Netherlands' Youngest, First Openly Gay Prime Minister
Rob Jetten will be the Netherlands' youngest-ever prime minister (Jeroen Jumelet)(Jeroen Jumelet/ANP/AFP)
Rob Jetten, 38, is set to be sworn in as the Netherlands' youngest-ever prime minister and its first openly gay head of government as his new coalition takes office on Monday.
Coalition and Parliamentary Position
Jetten's centrist D66 has formed a coalition with the centre-right CDA and the liberal VVD. Together the three parties hold 66 seats in the 150-seat parliament — nine short of a majority — meaning the government will need support from other parties to pass major legislation.
Campaign, Mandate and Priorities
Jetten engineered a surprise comeback in October, narrowly overtaking the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) led by Geert Wilders. After the vote he argued that populist movements can be defeated "if you campaign with a positive message for your country." On the campaign trail he also called for stronger ties with the EU, saying the Netherlands must be "brought back to the heart of Europe."
"Without European cooperation, we are nowhere," Jetten said during the campaign.
Policy Agenda
In a manifesto published in January, the three coalition partners pledged full support for Ukraine and committed to meeting NATO defence-spending targets. The government plans to prioritize defence investments while covering costs through budget cuts rather than running a deficit. Ministers have also pledged a tougher approach to migration, including stricter family reunification rules, and proposed reductions in some social benefits, such as unemployment assistance.
Political Context
The snap election followed the PVV's withdrawal from the previous government, a short-lived, right-leaning coalition that lasted 11 months. Wilders' PVV dropped from 37 seats in 2023 to 26 after a subdued campaign and was excluded from coalition talks. Meanwhile, other hard-right parties made gains: the Forum for Democracy added seats with an anti-immigration, Eurosceptic message, and JA21 rose significantly, nearly joining the cabinet before being left out.
What Comes Next
Jetten and his cabinet will be sworn in by King Willem-Alexander at Huis Ten Bosch in The Hague. Because the coalition lacks an outright majority, passing sweeping reforms may require lengthy negotiations and cross-party deals in parliament.
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