Thirty-eight-year-old politician Rob Jetten has taken office as the first openly gay Prime Minister of the Netherlands, also becoming the youngest person to hold the position.
A member of the social-liberal and progressive party Democrats 66, Jetten officially assumed leadership of a minority government on Monday after leading his party to victory in the October 2025 general election.
A New Chapter for the Netherlands
In a selfie posted shortly before the swearing-in ceremony, Jetten wrote: “Proud to be able to do this together. In a new phase, with great responsibility and above all a shared promise to commit ourselves to everyone in the Netherlands.”
He added: “By not dwelling on what goes wrong, but by building on what can be better. That calls for courage and collaboration.”
Jetten’s appointment marks a significant milestone for LGBTQ+ representation in Dutch politics, although his sexual orientation did not dominate the election campaign. The Netherlands has long championed LGBTQ+ equality, and voters largely focused on policy and leadership rather than identity.
Love and Visibility
In November 2024, Jetten announced his engagement to two-time Olympian Argentine field hockey player Nicolás Keenan, with whom he has been in a relationship since 2022.
“I thought it was about time,” Jetten told the Dutch website LINDA.nl. “It just feels great. We’re very happy together.”
The couple reportedly met in a supermarket in The Hague after Keenan recognised the politician from social media. They plan to marry later this year.
In October, Jetten publicly expressed his support for the transgender community in a TikTok post calling on people to “protect the dolls”, a slogan used to oppose anti-trans violence and discrimination.
@nicokeenan97 Election night, let’s go🔥🫶🏽 @RobJetten #stemmen #d66 ♬ WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! – RAYE
From Public Service to Prime Minister
After studying public administration, Jetten worked for the Dutch railway authority ProRail before entering politics. Voters elected him to the House of Representatives in 2017, and he became leader of Democrats 66 in 2023.
His steady rise within the party reflects both his dynamic political acumen and his appeal to younger voters seeking progressive leadership.
Part of a Growing European Legacy
While Jetten’s appointment breaks new ground in the Netherlands, he joins a growing list of openly LGBTQ+ leaders in Europe.
These include Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, who served as Prime Minister of Iceland from 2009 to 2013; Elio Di Rupo, Prime Minister of Belgium (2011–2014); Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg (2013–2023); Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia (2017–2024); Leo Varadkar, Prime Minister of Ireland (2017–2020, 2022–2024); and Edgars Rinkēvičs, President of Latvia since July 2023.
Jetten’s leadership sends a powerful message about visibility, equality and the continued progress of LGBTQ+ inclusion in global politics, including in its highest offices.
