New Dutch government led by youngest premier sworn in

Dutch King Willem-Alexander has sworn in a new minority Dutch coalition government led by the Netherlands’ youngest ever prime minister.

Rob Jetten, 38, will have to use all his bridge-building skills to pass legislation and complete his four-year term.

He heads a three-party administration consisting of the centrist D66, the centre-right Christian Democrats and the centre-right People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy.

Since parties hold only 66 of the 150 seats in the lower house of parliament, Jetten will have to negotiate with opposition MPs to find support for any legislation his government wants to pass.

Jetten and his team of ministers were sworn in by Willem-Alexander on Monday in the ornate Orange Hall of the royal palace in a forest on the edge of The Hague.

The king wished the new government good luck in “uncertain times”.

A small group of demonstrators from the environmental group Extinction Rebellion protested outside the palace gates during the ceremony, and sirens blared as the new ministers lined up for an official photo.

After the photo of the new cabinet traditionally taken on the steps of the palace, the new government plans to start work with the first cabinet meeting in the afternoon.

In a message about X, Jetten said that “it was a great honor to take office as prime minister.”

The government vowed 117 days after national elections that Jetten’s party won by a narrow margin from the Freedom Party led by anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders.

The final result was determined following postal voting following the fourth national election since 2017 in the politically fractured Netherlands.

Jetten’s new government took office a day before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

He vowed to continue his country’s strong support for Kiev as it battles President Vladimir Putin’s forces.

Jetten also said he would continue spending to strengthen the Dutch military in times of geopolitical uncertainty.