Rob Jetten makes history as Netherlands elects first openly gay Prime Minister

In a landmark moment for Dutch politics and LGBTQ+ representation, Rob Jetten has been elected Prime Minister of the Netherlands, becoming both the youngest and the first openly gay leader in the country’s history.

Jetten, 38, leader of the centrist-liberal Democrats 66 (D66) party, secured a decisive victory in the 29 October general election, defeating far-right candidate Geert Wilders of the Party for Freedom. His campaign, marked by optimism and progressive values, resonated with voters seeking unity and forward-thinking leadership. “We’ve shown the rest of Europe and the world that it is possible to beat populist movements when you campaign with a positive message for your country,” Jetten said following the results. 

While his political triumph is historic, Jetten’s personal life has also captured public attention. His fiancé, Nicolás “Nico” Keenan, is a 28-year-old Argentine field hockey player and two-time Olympian. The couple’s relationship has become a symbol of visibility and pride for queer Europeans. On election night, Keenan shared a TikTok video of the pair dressed in matching suits, smiling and sharing a brief kiss before heading out to celebrate. The clip, set to RAYE’s Where the Hell Is My Husband?, quickly went viral. 

Keenan, who identifies as bisexual, has played for the Netherlands’ Hockey Club Klein Zwitserland since 2017 and represented Argentina at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. The couple met in The Hague in 2022 and announced their engagement in late 2024 with a photo captioned, “Soon to be Mr & Mr 💍”. They plan to marry in 2026. 

Jetten’s rise to power marks a new chapter for Dutch politics. A former energy and climate minister, he has pledged to tackle pressing issues such as immigration and housing with pragmatic solutions, including building new towns and simplifying construction regulations.