Rob Jetten made history as he was sworn in as the youngest and first openly gay Prime Minister of the Netherlands. At 38 years old, the leader of the Democrats 6(D66) party succeeds Dick Schoof, taking the helm of a center-right minority government. The new administration was formally inaugurated by King Willem-Alexander at the Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, following a narrow and tense election victory over populist Geert Wilders last October.
A new Dutch coalition government led by Rob Jetten, the Netherlands’ youngest premier, has been sworn into office. https://t.co/jXugfZNdAL
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 23, 2026
Jetten’s cabinet is a fragile coalition consisting of D66, the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), and the Christian Democratic Alliance (CDA). Because it is a minority government, Jetten faces the significant challenge of negotiating every major reform on a case-by-case basis in Parliament. Key priorities in the coalition agreement include a massive €19 billion boost for national defense, alongside controversial cuts to healthcare and social benefits.
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A primary focus for the new government is a strict overhaul of asylum policies. The coalition plans to require refugees to apply for asylum from outside Europe, a move intended to drastically reduce migration numbers. This issue remains highly sensitive in Dutch politics, having caused the collapse of previous governments. Jetten emphasized a message of “courage and collaboration,” vowing to move past political grievances to focus on national improvement.
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