Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten called on young LGBTQ+ individuals to embrace their identity publicly while attending Canal Parade preparations at the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam on Saturday, August 1, 2026.
Reflecting on his own teenage years, Jetten acknowledged the anxiety of coming out but stressed the positive outcome of taking that step.
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"I thought: oh my heaven, am I ever going to dare to openly be myself.
It is exciting, but it actually only gets better as soon as you have dared to take that step.
And that actually still applies today in 2026 in the Netherlands," he said.
Parade as Celebration and Protest
Jetten described the annual parade as a celebration of freedom, while pointing to recent events, including an attack in Berlin, as reasons for continued political visibility.
"If you sail here over the canals and there are so many people present, that is great, really a day of freedom and fun.
At the same time, it is also very necessary to continue that protest. You saw that, of course, with the attack in Berlin last week," he stated.
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He added that LGBTQ+ acceptance is under heavy pressure both in the Netherlands and worldwide, making the parade's message crucial.
Jetten outlined upcoming legislative measures and a €35 million security package to protect vulnerable groups.
"In the coming period, new laws will arrive to strengthen the position of LGBTQ+ individuals.
