Rob Jetten Sworn In as Netherlands' Youngest PM

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Rob Jetten, 38, was sworn in Monday as the Netherlands' youngest prime minister and the first openly gay leader in the country's history, heading a minority three-party coalition government amid political uncertainty.

King Willem-Alexander administered the oath to Jetten and his team of ministers in the ornate Orange Hall of the royal palace, located in a forest on the outskirts of the capital. The ceremony, held 117 days after a snap national election in late October, marked the formation of a coalition comprising Jetten's centrist D66 party, the center-right Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), and the center-right People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). The alliance controls 66 seats in the 150-seat lower house of parliament, falling short of a majority and requiring negotiations with opposition parties for every major piece of legislation.

Following the swearing-in, the new Cabinet posed for a traditional group photo on the palace steps before convening its first meeting later in the afternoon. The king offered his congratulations and wished the government "good luck in uncertain times," highlighting the challenges ahead for the administration.