Centrist Rob Jetten, from D66, prevailed in the Netherlands. He is an ally of Brussels and the partner of Argentine Nicolás Keenan
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The parliamentary elections in the Netherlands delivered a major surprise: the centrist party D66, led by Rob Jetten, won 26 seats, tying with the right-wing Geert Wilders (PVV) and leaving behind the progressive coalition of Frans Timmermans, which suffered a heavy defeat.
Rob Jetten, líder del D66 y nuevo Primer Ministro
The result confirms the shift of the Dutch electorate toward a more moderate and pro-European position, and consolidates Jetten —an ally of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen— as the country's new political figure.
"Millions of Dutch people have turned the page on negativity today and have chosen a forward-looking politics," Jetten celebrated in his speech in Leiden.
An Argentine connection that is making headlines worldwide
In addition to his political victory, Jetten attracted attention in Argentina for his personal life: he is in a relationship with Argentine Nicolás Keenan, forward for the men's field hockey national team, Los Leones.
Jetten junto a Keenan en un video publicado en redes
The relationship between the two became public in 2023 and quickly became a topic of conversation in international media. Keenan, who has lived in the Netherlands for years, plays for the club HC Bloemendaal and accompanied Jetten throughout the campaign.
The new Dutch prime minister has already confirmed that he will attend the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to support his partner, who will be part of the Argentine delegation.
Jetten durante su visita al país
A fragmented Parliament and a right wing that retains influence
Although the far right expected better results, it was not left out of the picture. Wilders's PVV lost seven seats compared to 2023, but remains key for any negotiation.
Geert Wilders esperaba mejores resultadosVVD, a center-right party that governed for more than a decade under Mark Rutte, obtained 22 seats and remains an indispensable arbiter in the formation of the new cabinet.
The big loser was the center-left coalition GroenLinks–PvdA, led by Timmermans, which fell to fourth place and lost five seats. The former European commissioner announced his resignation after acknowledging "a deep disappointment" among his electorate.
Although the new prime minister has a rather progressive agenda, his need to negotiate the formation of the cabinet will allow a right-wing coalition to prevail in the Netherlands and the left to continue losing ground.
