When Dutch politician Rob Jetten posted a cosy couch selfie with his boyfriend Nico and a Lady Gaga soundtrack, it felt like a deep breath at the end of a very loud month.
The 38-year-old D66 leader has spent the weeks since the Dutch election running from formation talks to late-night strategy meetings, all while being tipped as a serious contender to become the country’s first openly gay prime minister.
In his new Instagram recap, Jetten jokes that November “flew by” and then lists everything from marathon coalition days to family time and a housewarming party with a 70s theme.
Right at the top of his list is saying goodbye to the “old” D66 group in parliament, while happily noting that the full team is sticking around in the new Tweede Kamer.
He also points out something that has barely sunk in yet even for Dutch politics nerds, namely that he now leads the largest D66 faction ever to sit in parliament.
That alone would be enough to make most people collapse into a heap with a strong drink, but Jetten clearly prefers a cuddle on the sofa with Nico and their dog instead.
The “quality time after the campaign” line in his caption is a sweet shout-out to Argentine field hockey star Nicolás Keenan, whom he has been dating for several years and got engaged to in 2024.
Together they have quietly become one of Europe’s most visible queer political power couples, swapping between hockey pitches, campaign trails and visits to each other’s families in the Netherlands and Argentina.
Jetten’s list of November highlights also includes picking up the prestigious Thorbecke Prize, awarded for contributions to parliamentary democracy, which is not exactly a minor line item on anyone’s CV.
In typical Rob fashion he downplays the honour a bit, but it underlines how quickly he has moved from “rising star” to one of the central figures in Dutch and European progressive politics.
Another moment that stands out is his visit to Groningen after the recent earthquake, where he met residents and repeated that reopening the controversial gas fields is a red line for D66.
It is a reminder that behind the cute couple photos there is a politician who has built his brand on climate policy, social liberalism and a very hands-on style of listening to people on the ground.
Of course, it would not be a proper queer politician recap without at least one pop culture moment, so naturally Jetten squeezed in seeing Lady Gaga live and called the show “unbelievable.”
He even turns it into a conversation starter by asking followers which artist they would most love to see on stage, blending stan culture with civic engagement in a way only a millennial politician really can.
The rest of the post is pure life update material, from dropping in on his nephews after months of hectic work to celebrating his sister’s 70s-themed housewarming party.
For queer followers, there is something quietly powerful about seeing a leading national politician talk this openly about his boyfriend, his nieces and nephews and his own need for rest and joy.
Not that long ago, an openly gay party leader aiming for the top job would have been forced to keep his private life out of the spotlight or wrap it in carefully coded language.
Today Jetten can share a selfie where his partner is half asleep on his chest, caption it with political bullet points and Gaga lyrics, and watch thousands of likes roll in.
It is a small but meaningful snapshot of how far LGBTQ+ visibility in European politics has come, even while queer rights are under pressure in other parts of the world.
As the coalition talks grind on and the possibility of an openly gay Dutch prime minister inches from “headline” to “maybe,” that soft November photo might end up looking like the calm before a very historic storm.
For now though, it is simply Rob and Nico on the sofa, recharging for whatever comes next, reminding us that even the busiest political months should make room for love, family and a little bit of Gaga drama.
📷 IG: @ jettenrob