On a crisp October night in The Hague, D66 flags fluttered and young supporters cheered as Rob Jetten strode onto the stage to claim victory. At 38, he is poised to become the Netherlands’ youngest-ever prime minister and its first openly gay head of government. It is a generational turning point: Dutch voters, weary of polarisation, seem to have embraced Jetten’s optimistic, forward-looking style. As Reuters notes, the result “opens a path” for Jetten to form a government as the gay youngest ever prime minister of the Netherlands. It also places him in a tiny global club: as of 2025, only a handful of national leaders have been openly LGBT+. By one count, Ireland’s Leo Varadkar was only the fifth openly gay head of government worldwide.
Rob Jetten (D66). Photo: Patrick van Katwijk/BSR Agency/Getty Images
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From Climate Minister to Centrist Leader
Jetten’s rise was as rapid as it was steep. Born in 1987 in Veghel, North Brabant, he studied public administration in Nijmegen and cut his political teeth with the D66 youth wing and on the Nijmegen city council. He won a seat in parliament in 2017 and in 2022 became Minister for Climate and Energy in Mark Rutte’s government. On the campaign trail, he consciously softened that technocratic image. As one Reuters profile put it, he “revamped his image on the campaign trail from nagging climate minister to optimistic ‘yes, we can’ politician”. He abandoned abstract jargon for direct appeals to homeowners and tenants, promising to build new homes and fix schools. Under his leadership, D66 expanded its appeal beyond traditional green issues – focusing now on housing shortages and immigration – winning over voters who had leaned right in past elections. In the final week, pollsters saw his popularity surge as he campaigned on pledges to resolve a housing crisis, invest in education and manage migration concerns.
The Positive Campaign
Jetten ran a campaign suffused with hope rather than grievance. In his victory speech he told an ecstatic crowd that “millions of Dutch people have turned a page” on the politics of “negativity” and “hatred”. The refrain of his slogans and speeches was almost evangelical: D66 cheerleaders chanted “Ja, we kunnen!” (“Yes, we can!”) as if echoing Obama’s famed rallying cry. Seasoned D66 figures marvelled at his ability to shift the national tone. Former minister Kajsa Ollongren, a senior party colleague, praised him as “without a doubt one of the most talented politicians the Netherlands has ever had,” and expressed confidence that he could end the “negative spiral” of his populist rivals. Throughout the campaign Jetten rejected the far right’s fearmongering in favour of unity: he repeatedly urged Dutch parties to work together and shun divisive rhetoric.
Personal Identity and Public Image
Jetten’s election is also a milestone in social terms. He is openly gay and engaged to Nicolás Keenan, an Argentinian field-hockey player he met after a viral TikTok “bromance” video brought him international attention. Yet by election eve his orientation barely surfaced as an issue. Commentators noted that in the Netherlands – a pioneer of LGBT+ rights, having legalised same-sex marriage in 2001 – a candidate’s sexuality is largely seen as background. In fact, Reuters observed that his being gay “has not played an important part in the campaign”. To be sure, Jetten’s success stands out globally: there are very few openly LGBT+ heads of government. In the broader Dutch context, however, his candidacy feels both historic and natural – an extension of the country’s long tradition of liberal social policy and internationalism.
A New Generation in The Hague
Jetten’s triumph reflects a deeper generational shift. At 38 he is notably younger than his predecessors (for context, Mark Rutte was 43 when first becoming PM) and far removed from the stodgier political class. Exit polls suggest he drew especially strong support from younger and urban voters who were tired of year-on-year malaise. Even his speech style and mannerisms have a fresh energy. He speaks Dutch with a hint of a southern Brabant accent – a subtle reminder of his provincial roots – but carries himself with a calm pragmatism. Voters seemed to respond to his practical blend of competence and positivity. As the votes were counted on election night, he declared that the results meant D66 had “turned the page” on the old politics, a line that found palpable resonance in cities like Amsterdam and Groningen where D66 surged.
Challenges Ahead
Despite the jubilation, the work is only beginning. Forming a coalition in Amsterdam’s multiparty parliament will require hard negotiation. Jetten insists he will govern not just for D66 supporters but for all Dutch people – a message he spelt out in his victory remarks. In that same address, he appealed to other leaders to show “faith” in centrist governance and to “rise up” above tribalism. The key now will be turning optimism into policy. His team has already outlined ambitious housing plans – even proposing government subsidies for new towns and aggressive deregulation to build 100,000 homes a year. On immigration, he wants tighter controls (such as requiring asylum seekers to apply from abroad) while improving integration programmes. And, of course, his green credentials remain part of the package, as D66 is still known for backing climate action and a stronger Europe.
If Jetten’s first months are any indication, he intends to govern much as he campaigned – upbeat and solution-oriented rather than confrontational. He has emphasised cooperation with other parties and scorned “the negatives” of pure populism. In the months ahead, he must prove that this youthful liberal socialism enthusiasm can translate into lasting reform. But whatever happens, the Netherlands has unmistakably turned a page: its new premier represents both a generational turn and a reminder that in this pluralist non-religious country, even the highest office can fall to someone as young and openly gay as Rob Jetten.
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