Who is Nicolás Keenan, Argentine partner of Dutch leader Rob Jetten? | OneFootball

A historic change is taking shape in the Netherlands: Rob Jetten, leader of the centrist party Democrats 66 (D66), could become the country’s prime minister, which would also open the door for his partner, the Argentine Nicolás Keenan, to become what some are already informally calling, “the first Argentine gentleman” of the Netherlands.

In the general elections held on Wednesday, D66 made a remarkable breakthrough, increasing its seats and establishing itself as a key force in forming a new governing coalition. With 99.7% of the votes counted, both parties were practically tied, with a projection of 26 seats each in the 150-seat Parliament, but D66 ended up with an estimated lead of 15,000 votes after Amsterdam reported its preliminary results this Thursday.

Although Geert Wilders’ far-right bloc—his PVV party—still retains significant representation, it suffered a notable drop in the elections and faces a steep uphill battle to form a government, as several major parties have explicitly ruled out governing alongside him.

Jetten, 38, said he was “very confident” in being able to form a government after his party’s strong performance.

The result in the Netherlands was closely watched across Europe as a barometer of the far right’s advance. While the setback for the Party for Freedom (PVV) suggests a partial halt to that trend, in other countries like France, Germany, or Great Britain, nationalist movements continue to lead the polls, confirming a fragmented outlook across the continent.

If Jetten manages to form the coalition and take office, he could become the youngest prime minister in the Netherlands and the first openly gay person to hold that position.

Until just a few years ago, Rob Jetten was seen as a promising figure in the youth wing of the liberal-progressive Democrats 66 (D66) party.

Born in 1987 in the small southern Dutch city of Veghel. He studied Public Administration at Radboud University in Nijmegen.

He entered local politics as a councilor in the city of Nijmegen, and his national breakthrough came in 2017, when he was elected as a member of parliament.

A year later, after the resignation of Alexander Pechtold, he became the parliamentary leader of D66.

In Mark Rutte’s government, Jetten held the Climate and Energy portfolio, where he earned a reputation as a meticulous negotiator and tireless advocate for the ecological transition.

In this election, Jetten broadened his party’s traditional focus—centered on climate change and education—to directly address divisive issues such as immigration and the housing crisis.

His constructive tone and emphasis on cooperation among moderate forces helped attract voters who previously leaned toward right-wing options.

From Buenos Aires to The Hague

While Jetten was rising in Dutch politics, Nicolás Keenan was building his sports career. Keenan was born on May 6, 1997, in Buenos Aires and currently plays for the Dutch club HC Klein Zwitserland, in the Hoofdklasse of the Netherlands.

During his youth, he played at Club Egara in Spain from age 12 to 18. After the 2016 Junior World Cup in Lucknow, he moved to The Hague to join his current club.

He was called up for the Argentine team Los Leones, participated in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and in the 2023 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup.

In a 2024 interview, the player recalled that his love story with Jetten began in The Hague, “almost by chance”.

“We’d run into each other at the supermarket and a bit of modern love… He gave me a like, I liked him back and then, reaction, reaction,” Keenan said.

Their relationship became public in 2023 and, since then, Jetten and Keenan have become a visible couple within European politics and sports.

In November 2024, they announced their engagement on social media, with a photo taken in Paris during the Olympic Games. “Soon we’ll be Mr & Mr”, wrote Keenan and Jetten in a joint Instagram post. The news was picked up by Dutch, Argentine, and sports media.

In Argentina, many people quickly drew the obvious parallel: after Queen Máxima Zorreguieta, the Netherlands could have a new Argentine at the heart of its public life.

If Jetten succeeds in forming the coalition, the official photo of the new prime minister alongside his Argentine partner will carry a significance that goes beyond protocol: it will symbolize a country reaffirming its progressive identity in the face of a Europe torn between nationalism and openness.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.