Summary
Rob Jetten has become the youngest and first openly gay prime minister of the Netherlands. His Democrats 66 party narrowly won the recent election, and he has formed a minority government with two other political parties. The government plans to negotiate each major policy decision as it lacks a majority in parliament.
Key Facts
- Rob Jetten is the new prime minister of the Netherlands.
- He is the youngest and first openly gay person to hold this role in the country.
- Jetten's party, Democrats 66 (D66), narrowly won the recent general election.
- He has formed a center-right minority government with two other parties: the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the Christian Democratic Alliance (CDA).
- The coalition plans to invest €19 billion in defense and make cuts in healthcare and benefits as part of its agenda.
- Every major reform will need to be negotiated vote by vote because the government does not have a majority in parliament.
- The coalition aims to change asylum rules, requiring refugees to apply outside Europe.
- King Willem-Alexander formally swore in Jetten as prime minister.
