The Netherlands has entered a new chapter in its political history.
On Wednesday, Oct. 29, the nation elected Rob Jetten, 38, as its new prime minister — making him both the youngest and the first openly gay leader in Dutch history, according to Deutsche Welle (DW).
Jetten, leader of the centrist-liberal D66 party, defeated far-right candidate Geert Wilders of the Party for Freedom. Wilders’ campaign centered on anti-immigration policies and included calls to ban the Quran, along with other Islamophobic remarks.
“I am incredibly happy that we have become the biggest party in this election,” Jetten told reporters after the results were announced, per DW. “A historic result for D66. At the same time, I feel a great responsibility.”
He added, “We’ve shown the rest of Europe and the world that it’s possible to defeat populist movements with a positive message for your country.”
Although Jetten is projected to win, DW notes that the official confirmation will come on Monday, Nov. 3, once mail-in ballots from Dutch citizens abroad are counted.
Support from His Fiancé, Olympian Nico Keenan
Jetten received warm support on election night from his fiancé, Nico Keenan, a two-time Olympian. Keenan shared a celebratory TikTok video of the two preparing for the big night, set to RAYE’s “Where the Hell Is My Husband?” In the clip, Keenan, 28, waits alone in a suit before Jetten joins him. The couple smiles, embraces, and shares a brief kiss.
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“Election night, let’s go🔥🫶🏽,” Keenan captioned the post.
Jetten has also shown his support in return. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, he cheered Keenan on as he represented Argentina in field hockey at the Stade Yves-du-Manoir.
The couple announced their engagement in November 2024, when Keenan shared a photo of his engagement ring on Instagram with the caption, “Soon to be Mr&Mr💍.”
A Trailblazing Couple
Keenan, who identifies as bisexual, began playing field hockey for the Netherlands‘ Hockey Club Klein Zwitserland in 2017, according to Out Sports. In an interview with the Dutch outlet Trouw in April, he said he’s received many messages of appreciation for being an openly bisexual athlete.
“People told me how happy they were that there was finally an openly bisexual hockey player in the Premier League,” Keenan said.
According to the BBC, Keenan and Jetten plan to marry next year.
