Rob Jetten, 38, becomes Netherlands' youngest prime minister

2026-02-23 - 10:42

Rob Jetten was formally inaugurated as the Netherlands' new prime minister on Monday, becoming at 38 the youngest person ever to hold the office in Dutch history. The swearing-in ceremony at Huis ten Bosch Palace, overseen by King Willem-Alexander, installed a minority government following the collapse of Dick Schoof's Cabinet last summer over coalition disputes. New Cabinet Composition The new administration comprises 18 ministers and 10 state secretaries, with coalition seats distributed among three parties. D66 secured 10 ministerial positions, VVD nine, and CDA eight, while one non-partisan state secretary was appointed specifically to address the ongoing childcare benefits scandal. Ministers who served in the previous government were exempt from taking the oath again, while all state secretaries underwent the formal swearing-in process. Following the ceremony, ministers posed on the palace steps for the traditional official photograph, from which state secretaries are excluded. Third Cabinet in Four Years Jetten's assumption of office marks the Netherlands' third new government in just over four years, reflecting the country's recent political instability and the challenges of forming durable coalitions in its fragmented parliamentary landscape. Outgoing Prime Minister Dick Schoof offered a gracious farewell, stating: "Their success is our success, as a country," expressing hope for the new administration's effectiveness despite the circumstances of his government's premature end. Climate Protest at Inauguration A small protest unfolded outside the palace gates as about 20 Extinction Rebellion activists briefly blocked an access road. Demonstrators accused the incoming government of insufficient climate action and criticized plans to continue previous migration policies. The protest highlighted the policy challenges facing Jetten's administration, which must navigate competing demands for environmental ambition and social stability while governing without a parliamentary majority.