New Dutch government under centrist Jetten takes power

A new Dutch government took power on Monday, with 38-year-old centrist Rob Jetten sworn in as the country’s youngest-ever prime minister and the first openly gay one.Jetten pulled off a stunning election win in October, coming from behind to dethrone the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) led by firebrand politician Geert Wilders by a razor-thin margin.The snap election was called after the PVV withdrew from the previous coalition, the Netherlands’ most right-wing government in recent history, which lasted just 11 months.Jetten’s D66 has teamed up with the centre-right CDA party and the liberal VVD to form a coalition, but will fall nine seats short of a parliamentary majority with only 66 seats.The parties took 117 days to form their coalition – much less than the 223 days taken to form the previous government.Dutch King Willem-Alexander (right) welcomes Prime Minister Rob Jetten before taking part in the signing of the Royal Decrees at Huis ten Bosch Palace for the swearing-in ceremony of the new cabinet in The Hague on Monday. Photo: AFPAfter his election victory, Jetten declared that it was possible to beat populist movements “if you campaign with a positive message for your country”.