On 23 February 2026, a new chapter was added in the history of the Netherlands when Rob Jetten was sworn in as the country’s youngest and first gay Prime Minister. Now, during PM Modi’s visit to Netherlands, Rob Jetten is being discussed a lot, one reason for which is his statement expressing concern about media freedom and minorities’ rights in India.
However, India has reacted sharply to these comments. The Indian Foreign Ministry clearly said that such criticisms about India often come out due to incomplete information and wrong understanding of the Indian democratic system. Amidst this whole incident, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten has also come into the center of discussion, who is known as the youngest and first gay Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
What was Rob Jetten’s statement?
Before PM Modi’s visit, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten had expressed concern about India in an interview given to the local newspaper De Volkskrant. He had said that the Dutch government is not only concerned about the freedom of the press but also about the rights of minorities in India. Rob Jetten said that these issues have been raised with India from time to time. After this, during a program organized in The Hague, a Dutch journalist asked a question on the same topic.
What is India’s answer?
Responding to the question of the Dutch media, Indian Foreign Ministry Secretary Sibi George presented India’s position strongly. He said, “Criticism of India often arises from incomplete knowledge about the social and democratic fabric of the country. We have to face such questions because the person asking the questions lacks understanding.”
Who is Rob Jetten, the first gay PM of the Netherlands?
Rob Jetten was born on March 25, 1987. He took oath as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands on 23 February 2026. 38-year-old Jeten has become the youngest Prime Minister in the history of the country. He is also the first gay Prime Minister of the Netherlands. He is also serving as the leader of the Democrats 66 (D66) party since August 2023. Before this, he was the Minister of Climate and Energy Policy from 2022 to 2024 and has also taken over the responsibility of First Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands in 2024.
How did your journey into politics begin?
Rob Jetten started his political career as a policy advisor for the D66 party. He was also the president of the Young Democrats organization. From 2010 to 2017, he worked in the city council of Nijmegen. He was elected to the House of Representatives in the 2017 general elections. After this, in 2018 he became the youngest parliamentary leader of D66. After the resignation of Sigrid Kaag, he took charge of the party before the 2023 general elections. Although D66 lost seats in that election and the party went into opposition, Jeten’s popularity continued to grow.
Where did you study from?
Rob Jetten completed his secondary education at Udens College between 1999 and 2005. After this he studied at Radboud University Nijmegen from 2005 to 2011. He earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Public Administration. After completing his studies, he worked as a management trainee at ProRail, the Dutch railway authority. Later he also became a consultant there and regional supply manager for the North-Eastern Netherlands.
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