After months of coalition negotiations, the new government in the Netherlands has officially taken office. Ankara-born Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius has joined the cabinet as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.
The new prime minister is 38-year-old centrist politician Rob Jetten. Jetten has thus become the youngest prime minister in the country’s history and the first openly gay head of government. The prime minister and cabinet members were sworn in before King Willem-Alexander at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague.
Election Process and Coalition Talks
Jetten achieved a surprise success in the October elections, surpassing the Party for Freedom (PVV) led by Geert Wilders. Early elections had been called after the PVV withdrew from the coalition after only 11 months.
During the campaign, Jetten argued that “populist” movements could be overcome through a “positive” message. He pledged to return the Netherlands “to the heart of Europe” and emphasized that cooperation with Europe is essential.
Jetten’s party, Democrats 66 (D66), formed a coalition with the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). The three parties secured 66 seats in parliament, falling nine seats short of the majority required.
Dilan Yeşilgöz’s New Role
As leader of the VVD, Yeşilgöz announced on February 5 via her X account that she would assume the roles of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. She previously served as State Secretary for Economic Affairs and as Minister of Justice and Security, and was elected leader of the VVD in 2023.
Born in Ankara in 1977, the politician is the child of a family that sought asylum in the Netherlands following the September 12, 1980 military coup in Türkiye.
