First Biesheuvel cabinet explained

Cabinet Name:First Biesheuvel cabinet
Jurisdiction:the Netherlands
Flag:Flag of the Netherlands.svg
Flag Border:true
Image Size2:250px
Date Dissolved:
in office
(Demissionary from)
Government Head:Barend Biesheuvel
Deputy Government Head:Roelof Nelissen
Molly Geertsema
State Head:Queen Juliana
Members Number:16
Former Members Number:2
Total Number:16
Political Party:Catholic People's Party
(KVP)
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy

(VVD)
Anti-Revolutionary Party
(ARP)
Christian Historical Union
(CHU)
Democratic Socialists '70
(DS'70)
Legislature Status:Centrist
Majority government
Election:1971 election
Last Election:1972 election
Legislature Term:1971–1972
Incoming Formation:1971 formation
Outgoing Formation:1972–1973 formation
Previous:De Jong cabinet
Successor:Second Biesheuvel cabinet
State Head Title:Monarch
Government Head Title:Prime Minister
Deputy Government Head Title:Deputy Prime Minister

The first Biesheuvel cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch Government from 6 July 1971 until 9 August 1972. The cabinet was formed by the christian-democratic Catholic People's Party (KVP), Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and Christian Historical Union (CHU), the conservative-liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the social-democratic Democratic Socialists '70 (DS'70) after the election of 1971. The cabinet was a centrist coalition and had a slim majority in the House of Representatives with Protestant Leader Barend Biesheuvel a former Minister of Agriculture serving as Prime Minister. Prominent Catholic politician Roelof Nelissen the Minister of Economic Affairs in the previous cabinet served as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and was given the portfolio of Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs, former Liberal Leader Molly Geertsema served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.

The cabinet served in the early years of the radical 1970s. Domestically it had to deal with the peak of the counterculture and a growing inflation but it was able to implement several social reforms to the public sector and stimulating deregulation and privatization. The cabinet suffered several major internal conflicts between the cabinet members of the Democratic Socialists '70 and the rest of the coalition which lead to the fall of the cabinet just 1 year into its term on 19 July 1972 with the Democratic Socialists '70 cabinet members resigning on 21 July 1972 and the cabinet continued in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced with the caretaker Second Biesheuvel cabinet on 9 August 1972.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Term

Problems of the cabinet were the release of war criminals (three of Breda) and the increasing inflation, combined with a stagnating economy (stagflation). The decision to cut government expenses was not supported by DS'70, so the cabinet lost its majority in the parliament, resulting in Biesheuvel II.

Minister Stuyt, the first minister for environmental affairs, issued an urgency-note concerning the environment. In 1972, the first report from the Club of Rome was published, which showed that the environment is in a bad state worldwide and that resources will eventually run out.

The cabinet recognised the GDR and voted to allow China back into the United Nations.

Cabinet Members

MinistersTitle/Ministry/Portfolio(s)Term of officeParty
Barend Biesheuvel
(1920–2001)
Prime MinisterGeneral Affairs6 July 1971 –
11 May 1973
Anti-Revolutionary
Party
Roelof Nelissen
(1931–2019)
Deputy
Prime Minister
Finance6 July 1971 –
11 May 1973
Catholic
People's Party
Minister
Molly Geertsema
(1918–1991)
Deputy
Prime Minister
Interior6 July 1971 –
11 May 1973
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
Minister
Norbert Schmelzer
(1921–2008)
MinisterForeign Affairs6 July 1971 –
11 May 1973
Catholic
People's Party
Dries van Agt
(1931–2024)
MinisterJustice6 July 1971 –
8 September 1977
Catholic
People's Party
Harrie Langman
(1931–2016)
MinisterEconomic Affairs6 July 1971 –
11 May 1973
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
Hans de Koster
(1914–1992)
MinisterDefence6 July 1971 –
11 May 1973
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
Dr.
Louis Stuyt
(1914–2000)
MinisterHealth and
Environment
6 July 1971 –
11 May 1973
Catholic
People's Party
Jaap Boersma
(1929–2012)
MinisterSocial Affairs6 July 1971 –
19 December 1977
Anti-Revolutionary
Party
Chris van Veen
(1922–2009)
MinisterEducation and
Sciences
6 July 1971 –
11 May 1973
Christian
Historical Union
Dr.
Willem Drees Jr.
(1922–1998)
MinisterTransport and
Water Management
6 July 1971 –
21 July 1972
Democratic
Socialists '70
Bé Udink
(1926–2016)
21 July 1972 –
11 May 1973
Christian
Historical Union
Pierre Lardinois
(1924–1987)
MinisterAgriculture and
Fisheries
5 April 1967 –
1 January 1973
Catholic
People's Party
Bé Udink
(1926–2016)
MinisterHousing and
Spatial Planning
6 July 1971 –
11 May 1973
Christian
Historical Union
Piet Engels
(1923–1994)
MinisterCulture, Recreation
and Social Work
6 July 1971 –
11 May 1973
Catholic
People's Party
Ministers without portfolioTitle/Ministry/Portfolio(s)Term of officeParty
Roelof Nelissen
(1931–2019)
MinisterInteriorSuriname and
Netherlands
Antilles Affairs
6 July 1971 –
28 January 1972
Catholic
People's Party
Pierre Lardinois
(1924–1987)
28 January 1972 –
1 January 1973
Catholic
People's Party
Dr.
Kees Boertien
(1927–2002)
MinisterForeign AffairsDevelopment
Cooperation
6 July 1971 –
11 May 1973
Anti-Revolutionary
Party
Jonkheer
Mauk de Brauw
(1925–1984)
MinisterEducation and
Sciences
Higher
Education

Science Policy
6 July 1971 –
21 July 1972
Democratic
Socialists '70
Chris van Veen
(1922–2009)
21 July 1972 –
11 May 1973
Christian
Historical Union
State SecretariesTitle/Ministry/Portfolio(s)Term of officeParty
Jan van
Stuijvenberg
(born 1928)
State SecretaryInteriorMunicipalities
Civil Service
17 July 1971 –
21 July 1972
Democratic
Socialists '70
Tjerk Westerterp
(1930–2023)
State SecretaryForeign Affairs• European Union
Benelux
17 August 1971 –
7 March 1973
Catholic
People's Party
Willem Scholten
(1927–2005)
State SecretaryFinanceFiscal Policy
Tax and Customs
14 July 1971 –
19 March 1973
Christian
Historical Union
Fons van der Stee
(1928–1999)
Governmental
Budget
14 July 1971 –
12 March 1973
Catholic
People's Party
Hans Grosheide
(1930–2022)
State SecretaryJusticeImmigration
and Asylum

Civil Law
• Youth Justice
Penitentiaries
28 July 1971 –
11 May 1973
Anti-Revolutionary
Party
Jan Oostenbrink
(born 1936)
State SecretaryEconomic AffairsSmall and
Medium-sized
Businesses

• Consumer
Protection
Tourism
17 July 1971 –
11 May 1973
Catholic
People's Party
Vice admiral
Adri van Es
(1913–1994)
State SecretaryDefenceHuman
Resources

Equipment
14 August 1963 –
16 September 1972
Anti-Revolutionary
Party
Koos Rietkerk
(1927–1986)
State SecretarySocial Affairs• Social Security
• Unemployment
Occupational
Safety

• Social Services
28 July 1971 –
23 April 1973
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
Kees Schelfhout
(1918–1983)
State SecretaryEducation and
Sciences
Primary
Education

Special
Education

Preschool
28 July 1971 –
11 May 1973
Catholic
People's Party
Dr.
Roelof Kruisinga
(1922–2012)
State SecretaryTransport and
Water Management
Public
Infrastructure

Public
Transport

Rail Transport
Water
Management

Postal Service
Weather
Forecasting
28 July 1971 –
20 March 1973
Christian
Historical Union
Werner Buck
(1925–2010)
State SecretaryHousing and
Spatial Planning
17 August 1971 –
11 May 1973
Catholic
People's Party
Fia van
Veenendaal-
van Meggelen
(1918–2005)
State SecretaryCulture, Recreation
and Social Work
• Social Services
• Disability Policy
28 July 1971 –
21 July 1972
Democratic
Socialists '70
Henk Vonhoff
(1931–2010)
Youth Care
• Nature
Culture
Art
• Recreation
Sport
28 July 1971 –
23 April 1973
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy

Trivia

External links

Official

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ideeën van Drees jr. waren te afwijkend. Volkskrant. 8 September 1998. 1 May 2018. nl.
  2. Mooie Barend. De vergeten premier, Volkskrant, 9 June 2012
  3. De driftbuien van Mooie Barend, Historischnieuwsblad.nl, 6 May 2001
  4. Web site: Biesheuvel, Barend Willem (1920–2001). Huygens ING. 12 November 2013. 20 May 2019. nl.
  5. Mr. B. W. (Barend) Biesheuvel 6 juli 1971 – 11 mei 1973, Geschiedenis24.nl, 9 December 2005