Who is Rob Jetten? Meet the Netherlands' first openly gay prime minister sworn in at 38 after leading D66 to record win in 2025 snap election

As prime minister, Rob Jetten has outlined a reform focused roadmap that touches climate policy, housing shortages, defence spending and democratic renewal. One of his key priorities is accelerating the Netherlands clean energy transition while keeping household energy costs under control through green investment.

His government also plans large scale housebuilding projects to tackle the ongoing housing crisis. In healthcare, the focus is expected to shift more toward prevention instead of treatment to reduce long term pressure on the system.

On defence, Jetten wants to gradually raise spending to meet future NATO targets. His coalition has also proposed welfare cuts, a higher state pension age and stricter asylum rules where refugees would need to apply from outside Europe. He has further backed long standing D66 proposals such as directly elected mayors to strengthen citizen participation in governance.

Between 2022 and 2024, Jetten served as the Netherlands Minister for Climate and Energy in Mark Rutte’s fourth cabinet. During this time, he built a reputation as one of the country’s strongest voices on climate reform.

He supported major emission reduction targets and introduced a national hydrogen transport network aimed at improving clean energy infrastructure. His green policy push helped define his leadership image ahead of the 2025 snap election.

In August 2023, Jetten officially became leader of D66. He later led the party into the October 2025 election, where it secured its best result ever. His campaign focused on unity and optimism, famously promoting a politics based on hope rather than hate.

After the election, coalition talks lasted for 117 days. Eventually, Jetten formed a minority government alongside the centre right VVD and CDA parties. The coalition controls 66 out of 150 seats in the Dutch lower house.

This means every major policy decision will need support from opposition lawmakers. From defence spending to welfare cuts and asylum reforms, his government is expected to face tough parliamentary negotiations in the coming months.

Rob Arnoldus Adrianus Jetten was born on 25 March 1987 in Veghel in North Brabant. He grew up in nearby Uden before moving to Nijmegen for his higher studies. Jetten studied public administration at Radboud University and completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees there. Before entering full time politics, he began working as a management trainee at Dutch railway infrastructure company ProRail. This early exposure to governance and infrastructure planning helped shape his practical political outlook.

Thereon, he joined the progressive liberal party Democrats 66 early in his career. He first worked behind the scenes as a policy adviser in the Senate. Soon after, he became chair of the party’s youth wing Young Democrats.

His first elected role came in 2010 when he secured a seat on the Nijmegen city council. Seven years later, he entered the Dutch House of Representatives. In 2018, at only 31 years old, he became the parliamentary leader of D66. This made him the youngest leader in the party’s history and pushed him into the national spotlight.

Jetten has always been open about his sexuality during his political career. Since 2022, he has been in a relationship with Argentine field hockey player Nicolás Keenan. The couple got engaged in 2024 and Keenan attended the swearing in ceremony, becoming the Netherlands first ever male partner of a prime minister.