By Anton Lutter
On 23 February 2026, the Netherlands will formally inaugurated its new national government, informally known as the Jetten Cabinet — a centre-right minority coalition led by D66, the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA).
The cabinet holds just 66 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) and only 22 of the 75 seats in the Senate (Eerste Kamer). As a result, it must seek cooperation from opposition parties to pass legislation. Minority governments are rare in Dutch political history; the last comparable case was the short-lived Colijn V cabinet, which fell in 1939 after just two days of debate on its government declaration.
At 38, Rob Jetten is poised to become the youngest Prime Minister in Dutch history, breaking a record held by Ruud Lubbers since 1982. After serving as Minister for Climate and Energy in Rutte IV (2022–2024), Jetten led D66 to a surprising 26-seat victory, campaigning on a pragmatic and “can-do” platform.
Jetten has described this administration as a “cabinet of collaboration,” signalling that his government will depend heavily on broad negotiation and cross-party support due to its minority position. His priorities include strengthening economic resilience, expanding access to education and housing, and reinforcing the Netherlands’ role in European and international affairs.
Government Priorities and Core Policy Plans
The coalition agreement, titled “Getting to Work — Building a Better Netherlands,” outlines the government’s main ambitions for the legislative term.
Economic and Budget Goals
- The government will maintain the mortgage interest deduction, a key demand of VVD voters.
- To fund major spending increases — particularly in defence — it proposes a new tax surcharge dubbed a “Freedom Contribution” (Vrijheidsbijdrage). Estimates suggest this could raise several billion euros annually.
- The cabinet emphasises fiscal discipline, aiming to keep the budget deficit below 2% of GDP.
Healthcare and Welfare
- The healthcare deductible (“eigen risico”) will increase from approximately €385 to around €460, although safeguards will limit cost exposure per treatment.
- Social welfare reforms include shortening the duration of unemployment benefits and revising eligibility criteria. These measures are expected to be politically sensitive and will require opposition support to pass.
Housing and Environment
- The cabinet plans increased investment to address the nitrogen emissions crisis and unlock stalled housing construction projects. It also proposes annual income checks for social housing eligibility and regulatory simplification to accelerate development.
Education and Research
- The government has reversed previously planned cuts to education and will allocate approximately €1.5 billion to schools and research institutions, including support for vocational and higher education.
Security and Defence
- A defining priority is a substantial increase in defence spending to meet NATO commitments, with the coalition expressing support for raising defence expenditure toward 3.5% of GDP by the early 2030s.
- In response to the volatile geopolitical climate, the cabinet is introducing the Vrijheidsbijdrage (Freedom Contribution) to finance a €19 billion expansion of the armed forces.
- Planned investments also include strengthening national security infrastructure and expanding cybercrime capabilities.
The greatest challenge facing the new government is not its policy agenda, but parliamentary arithmetic. With only 66 seats in the House of Representatives and a significant shortfall in the Senate, Jetten’s cabinet must govern with what he has described as an “outstretched hand.” Every legislative proposal will require negotiation and support from opposition parties such as GL–PvdA or BBB.
“We are a ‘small large party’ in a divided house,” Jetten recently stated. “Success will not come from a majority, but from the quality of our compromises.”
