Rob Jetten and D66 set the pace as Dutch vote goes to the wire
Rob Jetten and D66 are neck-and-neck with Geert Wilders as the Dutch count narrows, a striking turnaround for a party that sat in fifth place less than two years ago.
Jetten has campaigned on optimism. “Het kan wel,” he told voters, a simple promise that contrasted with rivals he accused of “sowing division”. He was rarely off screen. When Mr Wilders pulled out of a TV slot on security grounds, Jetten stepped in. Even a quiz show recorded months before gave him extra reach.
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Read the storyThe D66 leader kept his story personal without making it the point. He grew up in Brabant, came out young, and has spoken about homophobic abuse without turning it into a badge. He is engaged to Argentine hockey international Nicolás Keenan. If he finishes first, the Netherlands could see its first openly gay prime minister.
D66 also arrived at this moment with cleaner hands. It was not part of Mr Wilders’s short-lived coalition, which collapsed after a row over migration. Jetten had a poor election in 2023 and early media appearances drew criticism. The “Robot Jetten” tag has faded. “Sometimes it can work out really crazy in politics,” he said with a grin as the results tightened.
Housing is the test he sets himself. The shortage is put at around 400,000 homes. He talks of building 10 cities and complains that national governments have delivered little for a decade. Admirers call him a mini-Mark Rutte, now at NATO. Both are cheerful and pragmatic, though colleagues note that “Rutte is a chatterbox, Jetten is quieter.”
Not every phase has gone to plan. As climate minister he pushed hard before Russia’s invasion sent energy prices soaring. On the trail he apologised after a clumsy joke about Crown Princess Amalia drew a rebuke. The stumble did not halt the rise.
Final results and seat allocations will be settled by the Dutch authorities. Readers can follow the process via the official election information. What is clear is that Rob Jetten and D66 have redrawn the race and given the party its sharpest profile in years.
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[Image Credit | Reuters]
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