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Rob Jetten, 38, leader of the Dutch centrist party D66, is poised to become Netherlands‘The youngest and first openly gay Prime Minister, Following his party’s strong performance in Wednesday’s elections.
Mr Jetten’s campaign saw a significant image change, transforming him from an “angry climate minister” to an optimistic “yes, we can” politician.
This shift was underlined by a surge in sophisticated messaging and advertising, enabling D66 to expand its focus beyond traditional social liberal topics such as climate change and education.
He strategically engaged with divisive issues such as immigration and the housing crisis, and successfully won over some voters who previously leaned toward right-wing parties.
He directly challenged the far right leader geert wildersAccused her of “hijacking” Dutch identity and lambasted her for simply standing up for women lgbtq The right to put Muslims in a bad image.
Sticking to his upbeat outlook, Mr Jetten posted a message on Instagram on the morning of the election, saying it was “time for positive forces to win.”
“Together we can defeat Wilders, I am ready,” he said. With his party projected to get the most votes, Mr Jetten is now set to lead coalition talks, paving the way for him to become prime minister.
“Rob is undoubtedly one of the most talented politicians the Netherlands has ever seen,” said Kajsa Ollongren, a member of the D66 party who served as defense minister in the government with Jetten.
“I’m sure that if we win as the exit polls say, he will want to unite the country and reverse the negative period into which Wilders has pushed the country.”
Jetten would be the Netherlands’ first openly gay leader, although his sexuality has not played a significant role in the campaign.
The Netherlands is known for its strong protection of LGBTQ rights and his party was in power when the Netherlands became the first country to legalize gay marriage 25 years ago.
Her “bromance” with another Dutch politician went viral on TikTok in 2021.
That social media trend led Jeton to meet her current fiancé, Argentinian international hockey player Nicolas Keenan, whom she is scheduled to marry next August. Jetton says they met in a supermarket and Keenan recognized him from a TikTok video compilation.
Jetten, who speaks Dutch with a slight southern accent that reveals his regional roots, came out with a more cordial message of political rivals working together on divisive issues.
He stressed that the parties should cooperate and criticized Wilders for negativity and bullying.
To combat illegal immigration and discourage dangerous migrant journeys, Jetten has proposed increasing spending on integration programs as well as opening up submission of asylum applications to the Netherlands from outside the EU.
Government policy will aim to ensure that “those who are genuinely fleeing war and violence are received decently, learn the language and can participate (in society) and that the rotten apples are taken out of the system and deported,” he said.
A supporter of European integration and climate policies, D66 is hated by many on the far right, who see it as a party serving a progressive elite.
Recently the windows of its headquarters were broken during a violent, anti-immigration protest in The Hague.
Images of Jetton denouncing political extremism during interviews while standing in broken glass outside his party’s offices helped boost his profile.
Jetton also benefited from the fact that his successful stint as a candidate on a popular trivia quiz show, for which he was recruited before the election, was broadcast for several days during the campaign.
To address the severe housing shortage, which is the biggest concern for many voters, Jetten proposed the creation of ten new cities, in which the government would contribute 2 billion euros annually to boost housing in the short term.
He has also suggested cutting red tape to enable the construction of 100,000 new homes every year by repurposing large buildings and agricultural land.