Third Lubbers cabinet explained

Cabinet Name:Third Lubbers cabinet
Lubbers–Kok cabinet
Jurisdiction:the Netherlands
Flag:Flag of the Netherlands.svg
Flag Border:true
Image Size2:250px
Date Dissolved:
in office
(Demissionary from)
Government Head:Ruud Lubbers
Deputy Government Head:Wim Kok
State Head:Queen Beatrix
Members Number:14
Former Members Number:7
Total Number:19
Political Party:Christian Democratic Appeal
(CDA)
Labour Party
(PvdA)
Legislature Status:Centrist
Majority government
(Grand coalition)
Election:1989 election
Last Election:1994 election
Legislature Term:1989–1994
Incoming Formation:1989 formation
Outgoing Formation:1994 formation
Previous:Second Lubbers cabinet
Successor:First Kok cabinet
State Head Title:Monarch
Government Head Title:Prime Minister
Deputy Government Head Title:Deputy Prime Minister

The Third Lubbers cabinet, also called the Lubbers–Kok cabinet, was the executive branch of the Dutch government from 7 November 1989 to 22 August 1994. The cabinet was formed the christian-democratic Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the social-democratic Labour Party (PvdA) after the election of 1989. The cabinet was a centrist grand coalition and had a substantial majority in the House of Representatives with Christian-Democratic Leader Ruud Lubbers serving as Prime Minister. Labour Leader Wim Kok served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.

The cabinet served during the final years of the turbulent 1980s and the early years of the economic boom of the 1990s. Domestically it focused on revitalizing the economy, reducing the deficit, and stimulating further deregulation and privatization. It had to deal with the El Al Flight 1862 Crash. Internationally the signing of the Maastricht Treaty took place but also it had to deal with several crises such as the beginning of the Bosnian War. The cabinet suffered several major internal conflicts including multiple resignations, but completed its entire term and was succeeded by the First Kok cabinet following the 1994 election.[1]

According to one study, “In a bid to placate the progressive wing of his party and to keep the Christian Democrats in the centre, Rudd Lubbers discarded the right-wing liberals (VVD) in 1989 as a coalition partner and invited the social democrats (PvdA) to partake in the third Lubbers cabinet (1989–1994).”[2]

Term

The cabinet was formed with a view to social reform. This was impossible because of the then bad shape of the Dutch economy, which made large reductions in government spending necessary. The reduction in spending on social care for disabled people led to demonstrations against the Dutch government in 1992. Many angry socialists left the Labour Party. The coalition lost heavily at the 1994 general election.

Several cabinet members returned after serving in previous cabinets: Minister of the Interior Ed van Thijn had served earlier in the same position from 1981 until 1982, Minister of Economic Affairs Koos Andriessen had served earlier in the same position from 1963 until 1965, Minister of Development Cooperation Jan Pronk had served earlier in the same position from 1973 until 1977 and State Secretary for Finance Marius van Amelsvoort had served earlier in the same position from 1980 until 1981.

Changes

On 18 September 1990 Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries Gerrit Braks (CDA) resigned after the Labour Party in the House of Representatives indicated that they had lost confidence in his ability to remain in office after strongly disagreeing in his animal welfare and fraud policy. Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Bert de Vries (CDA) served as acting Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries until 28 September 1990 when State Secretary for Economic Affairs Piet Bukman (CDA) was appointed as Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries. That same day Member of the House of Representatives Yvonne van Rooy (CDA), the former State Secretary for Economic Affairs was installed as his successor as State Secretary for Economic Affairs. That same day the function of State Secretary of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries was re-implemented, Mayor of Haaksbergen Dzsingisz Gabor (CDA) was sworn in and assigned the portfolios of environmental policy, nature policy and agricultural management.

On 3 January 1993 Minister for Foreign Affairs Hans van den Broek (CDA) resigned after he was appointed as European Commissioner for External Relations and Enlargement. That same day Pieter Kooijmans (CDA), a former State Secretary for Foreign Affairs who until then had been working as a professor of International law at Leiden University, was appointed as his successor.

On 1 June 1993 State Secretary for Defence Berend-Jan van Voorst tot Voorst (CDA) resigned after he was appointed as Queen's Commissioner of Limburg. That same day Member of the House of Representatives Ton Frinking (CDA) succeed him.

On 5 June 1993 State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment Elske ter Veld (PvdA) resigned after gaining insufficient support from her own Labour Party in the House of Representatives for a new widow's pension act. On 9 June 1993 State Secretary for Education and Sciences Jacques Wallage (PvdA) was appointed as her successor. That same day Roel in 't Veld (PvdA), who until then had been working as a professor of Public administration at the Erasmus University Rotterdam was installed as his successor as State Secretary for Education and Sciences. On 19 June 1993 just 10 days after taking office Roel in 't Veld resigned after he was discredited due to additional positions he held when he was a professor. On 2 July 1993 Job Cohen (PvdA), who until then had been working as rector magnificus of the State University of Limburg and as a professor of Jurisprudence, was appointed as his successor.

On 10 January 1994 Minister of the Interior Ien Dales (PvdA) unexpectedly died from a heart attack at the age of 62. Minister of Justice Ernst Hirsch Ballin (CDA) served as acting Minister of the Interior until 18 January 1994 when Mayor of Amsterdam Ed van Thijn (PvdA) was installed as Dales' successor.

On 26 February 1994 State Secretary for Welfare, Health and Culture Hans Simons (PvdA) resigned after he was appointed as a alderman in Rotterdam, but because the cabinet was already nearing the end of its term, he was not replaced.

On 27 May 1994 Minister of the Interior Ed van Thijn (PvdA) and Minister of Justice Ernst Hirsch Ballin (CDA) resigned over illegal interrogation techniques used by the police. They were succeeded by their State Secretaries, Dieuwke de Graaff-Nauta (CDA) became Minister of the Interior and Aad Kosto (PvdA) became Minister of Justice.

Due to the installment of a new European Parliament, several members resigned their functions to become members of this new parliament on 16 July 1994 and because the cabinet was already demissionary their portfolios were assigned to other ministers. The portfolio of Minister of Transport and Water Management was added to Minister of Economic Affairs Koos Andriessen (CDA), The portfolio of Minister of Welfare, Health and Culture was added to Minister of Education and Sciences Jo Ritzen (PvdA).

Cabinet members

MinistersTitle/Ministry/Portfolio(s)Term of officeParty
Ruud Lubbers
(1939–2018)
Prime MinisterGeneral Affairs4 November 1982 –
22 Augustus 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal
MinisterInteriorNetherlands
Antilles and
Aruba Affairs
7 November 1989 –
14 November 1989
27 May 1994 –
22 August 1994
Wim Kok
(1938–2018)
Deputy
Prime Minister
Finance7 November 1989 –
22 Augustus 1994
Labour Party
Minister
Ien Dales
(1931–1994)
MinisterInterior7 November 1989 –
10 January 1994
Labour Party
Dr.
Ernst Hirsch Ballin
(born 1950)
10 January 1994 –
18 January 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Ed van Thijn
(1934–2021)
18 January 1994 –
27 May 1994
Labour Party
Dieuwke de
Graaff-Nauta

(1930–2008)
27 May 1994 –
22 Augustus 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Hans van
den Broek

(born 1936)
MinisterForeign Affairs4 November 1982 –
3 January 1993
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Dr.
Pieter Kooijmans
(1933–2013)
3 January 1993 –
22 Augustus 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Dr.
Ernst Hirsch Ballin
(born 1950)
MinisterJustice7 November 1989 –
27 May 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Aad Kosto
(born 1938)
27 May 1994 –
22 August 1994
Labour Party
Dr.
Koos Andriessen
(1928–2019)
MinisterEconomic Affairs7 November 1989 –
22 Augustus 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Relus ter Beek
(1944–2008)
MinisterDefence7 November 1989 –
6 February 1991
Labour Party
Jan Pronk
(born 1940)
6 February 1991 –
3 March 1991
Labour Party
Relus ter Beek
(1944–2008)
3 March 1991 –
22 August 1994
Labour Party
Hedy d'Ancona
(born 1937)
MinisterWelfare, Health
and Culture
7 November 1989 –
16 July 1994
Labour Party
Dr.
Jo Ritzen
(born 1945)
16 July 1994 –
22 August 1994
Labour Party
MinisterEducation and
Sciences
7 November 1989 –
3 August 1998
Dr.
Bert de Vries
(born 1938)
MinisterSocial Affairs and
Employment
7 November 1989 –
22 Augustus 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Hanja
Maij-Weggen

(born 1943)
MinisterTransport and
Water Management
7 November 1989 –
16 July 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Dr.
Koos Andriessen
(1928–2019)
16 July 1994 –
22 August 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Gerrit Braks
(1933–2017)
MinisterAgriculture, Nature
and Fisheries
4 November 1982 –
18 September 1990
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Dr.
Bert de Vries
(born 1938)
18 September 1990 –
28 September 1990
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Piet Bukman
(1934–2022)
28 September 1990 –
22 August 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Hans Alders
(born 1952)
MinisterHousing, Spatial
Planning and the
Environment
7 November 1989 –
22 August 1994
Labour Party
Minister without portfolioTitle/Ministry/Portfolio(s)Term of officeParty
Jan Pronk
(born 1940)
MinisterForeign AffairsDevelopment
Cooperation
7 November 1989 –
3 August 1998
Labour Party
State SecretariesTitle/Ministry/Portfolio(s)Term of officeParty
Dieuwke de
Graaff-Nauta

(1930–2008)
State SecretaryInteriorMunicipalities
Emergency
Services

Emergency
Management

Regional
Languages
14 July 1986 –
27 May 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Piet Dankert
(1934–2003)
State Secretary
Foreign Affairs• European Union
Benelux
7 November 1989 –
16 July 1994
Labour Party
Marius van
Amelsvoort

(1930–2006)
State SecretaryFinanceFiscal Policy
Tax and Customs
Governmental
Budget
7 November 1989 –
22 August 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Aad Kosto
(born 1938)
State SecretaryJusticeImmigration
and Asylum

Civil Law
Judicial Reform
• Youth Justice
Penitentiaries
7 November 1989 –
27 May 1994
Labour Party
Piet Bukman
(1934–2022)
State Secretary
Economic Affairs7 November 1989 –
28 September 1990
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Yvonne van Rooy
(born 1951)
28 September 1990 –
22 August 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Baron
Berend-Jan van
Voorst tot Voorst

(1944–2023)
State SecretaryDefenceHuman
Resources

Equipment
Justice
7 November 1989 –
1 June 1993
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Lieutenant colonel
Ton Frinking
(1931–2022)
1 June 1993 –
22 August 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Hans Simons
(1947–2019)
State SecretaryWelfare, Health
and Culture
Primary
Healthcare

Elderly Care
Youth Care
• Disability Policy
7 November 1989 –
26 February 1994
Labour Party
Elske ter Veld
(1944–2017)
State SecretarySocial Affairs and
Employment
• Social Services
Equality
Emancipation
7 November 1989 –
4 June 1993
Labour Party
Jacques Wallage
(born 1946)
9 June 1993 –
22 August 1994
Labour Party
Jacques Wallage
(born 1946)
State SecretaryEducation and
Sciences
Primary
Education

Secondary
Education

Special
Education
7 November 1989 –
9 June 1993
Labour Party
Dr.
Roel in 't Veld
(born 1942)
Secondary
Education

Higher
Education

Science Policy
9 June 1993 –
19 June 1993
Labour Party
Dr.
Job Cohen
(born 1947)
Higher
Education

Science Policy
2 July 1993 –
22 August 1994
Labour Party
Dzsingisz Gabor
(born 1940)
State SecretaryAgriculture, Nature
and Fisheries
• Food Policy
Environmental
Policy

• Nature
• Fisheries
• Forestry
Animal Welfare
• Recreation
28 September 1990 –
22 August 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Enneüs Heerma
(1944–1999)
State SecretaryHousing, Spatial
Planning and the
Environment
Urban Planning
• Public Housing
Spatial Planning
27 October 1986 –
22 August 1994
Christian
Democratic Appeal

Trivia

External links

Official

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rendement van een jaar kabinet Lubbers/Kok: 9,9 miljard voornieuw beleid. NRC Handelsblad. 18 September 1990. 13 February 2018. nl.
  2. The Rise of the Dutch New Right An Intellectual History of the Rightward Shift in Dutch Politics By Merijn Oudenampsen, 2020