Rob Jetten, 38, from Democrats 66, officially took office as Prime Minister, becoming the country's youngest ever leader. He now faces the difficult task of leading a minority government through opposition challenges.
On 23 February 2026, Rob Jetten, aged 38, was officially sworn in as Prime Minister of the Netherlands after his party, Democrats 66, won the parliamentary election in October last year.
Reports state that Jetten's party formed a three-party coalition government alongside the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy. However, the new government is a "minority government," holding only 66 of the 150 seats in parliament. This means Jetten must negotiate and secure support from opposition parties for every major agenda, making governance politically challenging.
In addition to setting the record as the youngest prime minister, Jetten is also the Netherlands' first openly gay prime minister, marking a significant step for LGBTQ+ representation in a country that legalized same-sex marriage—the first in the world to do so—in 2001.
At the same time, Jetten's inauguration has drawn attention both to domestic political dynamics and to the Netherlands' progressive human rights image on the global stage.
Source: DW.com