Rob Jetten

Biography

Rob Arnoldus Adrianus Jetten was born on 25 March 1987 in Veghel, in the Dutch province of North Brabant. He studied at Radboud University in Nijmegen, where he got involved in youth political activities. Early in his career, he worked as a policy advisor for Democrats 66, the social-liberal party he would become closely linked with throughout his professional life. He also served as chair of the Young Democrats, the youth wing of D66, establishing himself as a leader before seeking elected office.

Jetten was elected to the municipal council of Nijmegen in 2010 and served until 2017. That year, he won a seat in the House of Representatives in the Dutch general election, entering national politics at a relatively young age. In 2018, he was chosen as D66's parliamentary leader, becoming the youngest person to hold that position in the party's history. His influence within D66 grew, and after Sigrid Kaag resigned, he took over the party leadership ahead of the 2023 general election. Although D66 lost seats and moved to the opposition, Jetten remained party leader and continued to guide its direction.

During the fourth Rutte cabinet, Jetten was the Minister for Climate and Energy Policy from 2022 to 2024, overseeing the Netherlands' energy transition during a challenging time in Europe. In 2024, he also became the First Deputy Prime Minister, replacing Sigrid Kaag. That same year, he was honored with the Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit and the Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau for his contributions to public service.

The 2025 general election was a turning point for both Jetten and D66. Under his leadership, the party achieved its best-ever result in a general election, becoming one of the largest parties in parliament. A four-month cabinet formation followed, resulting in February 2026 with the creation of the minority Jetten cabinet. When he became Prime Minister of the Netherlands on 23 February 2026, Jetten became the youngest person to hold the position and the first D66 politician to become Prime Minister. This marked a major change in Dutch politics, bringing a party that had previously played a supporting role in coalition governments to the country's highest office.