The Netherlands has inaugurated its youngest-ever and first openly gay prime minister.
Rob Jetten, 38, leader of the center-left D66 party, was sworn in as prime minister before King Willem-Alexander at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague on the 23rd (local time), according to dpa and other news agencies.
This marks the first time a D66 member has assumed the premiership. Jetten is the youngest prime minister in Dutch history and the first head of government to be openly gay. He is engaged to Argentine hockey player Nicolás Keenan, a two-time Olympian.
D66, which advocates pro-European and liberal policies, pulled off an upset in the October general election by becoming the largest party on a platform of climate action, affordable housing, and strict immigration policies. The party subsequently formed a coalition with the center-right Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). However, the three parties hold only 66 of the 150 lower house seats, falling 10 seats short of a majority.
Given the rarity of minority coalition governments in the Netherlands and radical right-wing parties controlling roughly one-third of lower house seats, some observers are skeptical about whether the Jetten administration can complete its four-year term.
The new government has proposed major spending cuts in social welfare and healthcare while significantly increasing defense spending in line with Europe's push to strengthen its defense capabilities amid the prolonged war in Ukraine.