Rob Jetten Becomes Netherlands Youngest PM

Rob Jetten Becomes Netherlands Youngest PM

Rob Jetten has become the youngest and first openly gay prime minister of the Netherlands, taking the oath of office on Monday to lead a minority three-party coalition government. At 38, he breaks the previous record held by Ruud Lubbers, who became premier in 1982 at the age of 43 and later emerged as one of the country’s longest-serving leaders.

A veteran of national politics, Jetten first entered parliament in 2017 representing the centrist, pro-European Democrats 66 (D66), the party he now leads. Early in his career, he earned the nickname “Robot” Jetten for delivering what critics described as rehearsed responses to journalists. Over time, however, he adopted a more relaxed public persona, gaining wider popularity — including after reaching the final round of the Dutch television quiz show The Smartest Person.

Jetten frequently shares moments from his personal life on social media, including photos with his partner Nicolas Keenan, who won a bronze medal with Argentina’s field hockey team at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The Netherlands made history in 2001 as the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage.

Minority Coalition, Climate Legacy And Political Challenges

Despite his landmark appointment, Jetten faces immediate political hurdles. His three-party coalition controls only 66 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives and lacks a majority in the Senate, meaning he must rely on opposition support to pass legislation.

Before becoming prime minister, Jetten served in Cabinet under former premier and current NATO chief Mark Rutte. As climate minister, he championed an ambitious 28-billion-euro legislative package comprising 120 measures aimed at cutting Dutch carbon emissions by 60% by 2030 compared with 1990 levels — earning him the nickname “climate pusher.”

Born in the southeastern town of Uden, Jetten studied business administration and later worked at the state-owned railway infrastructure company ProRail. In his youth, he was also a competitive runner and once served as a pacemaker for future Olympic long-distance champion Sifan Hassan.