Dutch PM Rob Jetten celebrates 25 years of same-sex marriage as Amsterdam hosts landmark weddings
The Netherlands made history on 1 April 2001, becoming the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage
By Eve Ellis
Amsterdam has celebrated a landmark moment in LGBTQ+ history, marking 25 years since same-sex weddings were legalised – with Dutch prime minister Rob Jetten in attendance.
The Netherlands made history on 1 April 2001, becoming the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage. Since then, more than 36,000 couples have tied the knot.
To celebrate the milestone, three same-sex couples were married at Amsterdam’s City Hall in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
“I can still remember when I was 14 years old watching TV, seeing the first couples getting married here in Amsterdam” – Rob Jetten on the legalisation of same-sex marriage
“As prime minister, I’m very proud that we celebrate 25 years of universal marriage here in the Netherlands,” Jetten told AFP.
He added, “I can still remember when I was 14 years old watching TV, seeing the first couples getting married here in Amsterdam. That was also very inspiring and emancipating for me, personally, as it has been for so many others.”
Jetten is the Netherlands’s first gay prime minister and is soon to marry his partner Nicolas Keenan, an Argentine field hockey player.
The celebration, conducted by mayor Femke Halsema, comes a quarter of a century after former mayor Job Cohen married four couples in a landmark ceremony for gay rights.
Reflecting on the anniversary, Halsema said, “You know, we had a conservative government for a couple of years and there was no good news for gay rights.”
Eelke de Jong and Elton Dos Santos Fiame were among those marrying on the anniversary
She added, “And now we have a gay prime minister who is very self-aware and proud. And I think for young gay people it’s a great example.”
Among those marrying on the day were Eelke de Jong and Elton Dos Santos Fiame, who described the moment as deeply meaningful.
“It’s the milestone to celebrate a big accomplishment from 25 years ago of what happened. And we were just too excited to be a part of it,” Dos Santos Fiame told AFP.
Twenty-five years on, dozens of countries have followed the Dutch in recognising same-sex marriage. But Halsema argued that while progress has been made, more still needs to be done.
“So we’re celebrating and we’re also protesting a little bit today,” Halsema said.