BREAKING: Netherlands swears in its youngest-ever PM as pro-EU, openly gay leader defeats far-right populist
The Netherlands just made history, and the world is watching. Rob Jetten was formally sworn in as prime minister by King Willem-Alexander on Monday, becoming the country’s youngest and first openly gay head of government at just 38 years old. His center-right minority coalition claimed victory over anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders in one of the most closely watched elections in Dutch history, and the contrast could not be starker.
Jetten is everything the global far-right is not. He is pro-EU, socially liberal, upbeat, and unabashedly modern. His party, Democrats 66, beat back the wave of hard-right nationalism that has consumed so much of the Western political conversation, and he did it by speaking directly to voters about building something better rather than tearing things down.
Standing on the palace steps beside the king after his swearing in, Jetten posted a single photo with a brisk, confident caption: “Let’s get to work.”
The coalition Jetten leads is a minority government, meaning every major policy reform will require painstaking negotiation in the two parliamentary chambers. The agenda includes a significant increase in defense spending, difficult cuts to healthcare and social benefits, and stricter asylum rules. None of it will be easy.
But the sheer symbolism of the moment is impossible to dismiss. In a political era defined by aging authoritarian strongmen and grievance-fueled nationalism, the Netherlands just handed the keys to a 38-year-old openly gay progressive who ran on hope and collaboration. For millions of LGBTQ+ people living in countries where coming out still carries serious personal risk, watching Jetten take the oath of office is a genuinely powerful moment.
Geert Wilders, whose own right-wing coalition collapsed spectacularly earlier this year, has already vowed to oppose every initiative Jetten puts forward. Opposition voices on the left have raised concerns about the fairness of the coalition’s financial plans, arguing ordinary workers will bear a disproportionate burden while the wealthiest are left untouched.
Jetten has heard the criticism and appears unbothered. He has spent years shaking off a reputation for being too polished and too rehearsed. On election night, in a packed music venue in Leiden, none of that stiffness was visible. He was confident, connected, and in command.
The world, increasingly exhausted by the politics of chaos and cruelty, may have just found a new face to watch.