The Hague: Rob Jetten has become prime minister after a closely fought election that saw the Democrats 66 party narrowly defeat Geert Wilders’ anti-Islam populist movement. The Rob Jetten government has taken shape as a centre-right minority coalition with the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy and the Christian Democratic Alliance.
At 38, Rob Jetten has become the youngest person to hold the office in Dutch history. The swearing-in ceremony has taken place at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, where King Willem-Alexander formally appointed the new cabinet.
The coalition has formed a minority government, meaning key policies will require support beyond the governing parties to pass through both houses of parliament. Major reforms outlined in the coalition agreement have included an additional €19 billion (£16.6 billion) for defence spending, alongside planned reductions in healthcare expenditure and social benefits.
Migration policy has featured prominently in the coalition’s agenda. The government has proposed stricter asylum rules, including requiring refugees to apply for asylum outside Europe rather than after arrival. Asylum migration has remained a contentious issue in Dutch politics and contributed to the collapse of previous coalition governments.
The cabinet composition has reflected the balance of the alliance. Democrats 66 will hold seven ministerial posts, the VVD six, and the CDA five, with each party also appointing three state secretaries. Rob Jetten has succeeded Dick Schoof, whose administration was among the shortest-lived in modern Dutch political history.
Ahead of the ceremony, Rob Jetten said that, the new phase carries great responsibility and a shared promise to work for everyone in the Netherlands. The government has now begun navigating parliamentary negotiations that will determine how effectively its reform agenda advances under minority rule.
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