Netherlands’ Prime Minister Rob Jetten warns of a ‘very well-organised enemy’ pushing anti-gay agenda (EXCLUSIVE)
Speaking in his cover interview with Attitude, Jetten called on the public to remain resilient and reject the harmful messages being spread by the far right
By Aaron Sugg
Rob Jetten, the first publicly gay prime minister of the Netherlands, has warned of “very well-organised” political groups pushing an anti-gay agenda.
Speaking in his cover interview with Attitude magazine, Jetten called on the public to remain resilient and reject the harmful messages being spread by the far right.
“We shouldn’t be naive about the very well-organised agenda that is coming from a lot of extreme groups,” he said.
Rob Jetten calls for action against “well-organised enemy”
“They’re sharing a playbook on how to influence the public debate, how to make sure that an anti-migration or an anti-Semitic or an anti-gay agenda is pushed forward,” Jetten explained. “What I’m worried about is how we can make sure that big tech companies start doing their job again instead of all the backtracking we’ve seen over the past years on what’s happening online.”
“If I look at my own social media, the hatred has risen dramatically. And I think a lot of people feel ‘this is not my fight. I’m not Black. I’m not a Muslim. I’m not a woman. I’m not a trans person. There is something going on, but it’s not hurting me or affecting me directly: It’s OK to look away.’
“But people should realise that attacks on trans people are just the first step. The second is to attack basic rights for women. And the next is to attack basic rights for gay people. And the next is to attack basic rights for Black people. This is an agenda that we should stop and we should fight back.”
Calling for action, he added: “There is a very well-organised enemy out there that we need to face and fight back.”
Jetten makes waves for the LGBTQ+ community beyond visibility
Jetten made LGBTQ+ history in February 2026 when he became the youngest and first publicly gay prime minister of the Netherlands, alongside his fiancé, Nicolás Keenan, who became the country’s first publicly bisexual first gentleman.
As the leader of social-liberal party Democrats 66 (D66), he spearheads a coalition government with the centre-right Christian Democratic Appeal and the liberal People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy.
As prime minister, he has already implemented positive change for the LGBTQ+ community. Beyond his visibility, he has announced a €7.5 million (£6.4m) budget over the next three years to improve the safety of LGBTQ+ people.
Speaking at the opening of the 2026 WorldPride Human Rights Conference in Amsterdam earlier this month, he said the spending is designed to tackle discrimination, improve public safety and counter the spread of anti-LGBTQ+ misinformation.
Echoing his concerns
Echoing his comments in his Attitude cover interview, he claimed that “toxic, highly organised and well-funded groups hiding behind the façade of freedom of expression” are causing a shift.
On social media, he said the internet is becoming an easy platform for targeting vulnerable people and spreading hate.
“Hate groups no longer feel restrained,” he said. “In my view, the rise of online hatred is one of the biggest threats facing LGBTQI+ people today… Misinformation – and disinformation – can be spread in the blink of an eye, with a single mouse-click.”
Alongside the funding package, Jetten said the government will launch a public information campaign intended to challenge discrimination and online disinformation.
Attitude met the prime minister during the Amsterdam WorldPride celebrations, where editor-in-chief Cliff Joannou and global finance and impact leader Krishna Omkar presented the Dutch leader with a special Attitude Pride Award in recognition of the representation – and hope – that Jetten has brought to the political world stage.
This year marked the 10th anniversary of the Attitude Pride Awards 2026, which celebrates LGBTQ+ people across the UK and Europe who have fought for equality, overcome adversity or become outstanding community role models.
Full interview appears in the September/October 2026 issue of Attitude, available on digital platforms from 6pm on Wednesday 26 August and in print from Thursday 27 August. Print copy available for pre-order here.