Second Van Agt cabinet explained

Cabinet Name:Second Van Agt cabinet
Jurisdiction:the Netherlands
Flag:Flag of the Netherlands.svg
Flag Border:true
Image Size2:250px
Date Dissolved:
in office
(Demissionary from)
Government Head:Dries van Agt
Deputy Government Head:Joop den Uyl
Jan Terlouw
State Head:Queen Beatrix
Members Number:16
Political Party:Christian Democratic Appeal
(CDA)
Labour Party
(PvdA)
Democrats 66
(D'66)
Legislature Status:Centre-left[1]
Majority government
(Grand coalition)
Election:1981 election
Last Election:1982 election
Legislature Term:1981–1982
Incoming Formation:1981 formation
Outgoing Formation:1982 formation
Previous:First Van Agt cabinet
Successor:Third Van Agt cabinet
State Head Title:Monarch
Government Head Title:Prime Minister
Deputy Government Head Title:Deputy Prime Minister

The second Van Agt cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch Government from 11 September 1981 until 29 May 1982. The cabinet was formed by the christian-democratic Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), the social-democratic Labour Party (PvdA) and the social-liberal Democrats 66 (D'66) after the election of 1981. The cabinet was a Centre-left[2] grand coalition and had a substantial majority in the House of Representatives with Christian-Democratic Leader Dries van Agt serving as Prime Minister. Former Labour Prime Minister Joop den Uyl the Labour Leader served as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Social Affairs and Employment and was given the portfolio of Netherlands Antilles Affars, Progressive-Liberal Leader Jan Terlouw served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs.

The cabinet served in the early years of the turbulent 1980s. Domestically it had to deal with the 1980s recession and a growing inflation but it was able to implement a major social reform to social security. The cabinet suffered several major internal conflicts between the cabinet members of the Christian Democratic Appeal and the Labour Party, especially the poor working relationship between Prime Minister Van Agt and Deputy Prime Minister Den Uyl which lead to the fall of the cabinet just 243 days into its term on 12 May 1982 with the Labour Party cabinet members resigning on 29 May 1982 and the cabinet was replaced with the caretaker Third Van Agt cabinet.[3]

Formation

After the 1981 general election the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) of incumbent Prime Minister Dries van Agt was the winner of the election but lost 1 seat and had now a total of 48 seats. The Labour Party (PvdA) of Joop den Uyl lost 9 seats and had now 44 seats. The Democrats 66 (D'66) of Jan Terlouw was the biggest winner with 9 new seats and had now 17 seats. A long negotiation between the Christian Democratic Appeal, Labour Party and the Democrats 66 followed. The negotiations were troubled by the personal animosity between incumbent Prime Minister and Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal Dries van Agt and former Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party Joop den Uyl. Van Agt who served as Deputy Prime Minister under Den Uyl his cabinet had a bad working relationship. In the end a coalition was formed.

Term

Many incidents made a healthy coalition impossible. Prime Minister Dries van Agt (CDA) had much trouble with Deputy Prime Minister Joop den Uyl (PvdA). Den Uyl tried to create employment as Minister of Social Affairs but plans to reform the health insurance was met with a huge resistance from the left-wing. The cabinet fell because the Christian Democrats wanted a cut in government spending, while the Labour Party opposed it.

Cabinet Members

MinistersTitle/Ministry/Portfolio(s)Term of officeParty
Dries van Agt
(1931–2024)
Prime MinisterGeneral Affairs19 December 1977 –
4 November 1982
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Joop den Uyl
(1919–1987)
Deputy
Prime Minister
Social Affairs and
Employment
11 September 1981 –
29 May 1982
Labour Party
Minister
MinisterInteriorNetherlands
Antilles
Dr.
Jan Terlouw
(born 1931)
Deputy
Prime Minister
Economic Affairs11 September 1981 –
4 November 1982
Democrats 66
Minister
Ed van Thijn
(1934–2021)
MinisterInterior11 September 1981 –
29 May 1982
Labour Party
Max van der Stoel
(1924–2011)
MinisterForeign Affairs11 September 1981 –
29 May 1982
Labour Party
Fons van der Stee
(1928–1999)
MinisterFinance5 March 1980 –
4 November 1982
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Dr.
Job de Ruiter
(1930–2015)
MinisterJustice19 December 1977 –
4 November 1982
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Hans van Mierlo
(1931–2010)
MinisterDefence11 September 1981 –
4 November 1982
Democrats 66
Til Gardeniers-
Berendsen

(1925–2019)
MinisterHealth and
Environment
11 September 1981 –
4 November 1982
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Dr.
Jos van Kemenade
(1937–2020)
MinisterEducation and
Sciences
11 September 1981 –
29 May 1982
Labour Party
Henk Zeevalking
(1922–2005)
MinisterTransport and
Water Management
11 September 1981 –
4 November 1982
Democrats 66
Jan de Koning
(1926–1994)
MinisterAgriculture and
Fisheries
11 September 1981 –
4 November 1982
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Marcel van Dam
(born 1938)
MinisterHousing and
Spatial Planning
11 September 1981 –
29 May 1982
Labour Party
André van
der Louw

(1933–2005)
MinisterCulture, Recreation
and Social Work
11 September 1981 –
29 May 1982
Labour Party
Minister without portfolioTitle/Ministry/Portfolio(s)Term of officeParty
Kees van Dijk
(1931–2008)
MinisterForeign AffairsDevelopment
Cooperation
11 September 1981 –
4 November 1982
Christian
Democratic Appeal
State SecretariesTitle/Ministry/Portfolio(s)Term of officeParty
Saskia Stuiveling
(1945–2017)
State SecretaryInteriorMunicipalities11 September 1981 –
29 May 1982
Labour Party
Gerard van
Leijenhorst

(1928–2001)
11 September 1981 –
4 November 1982
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Hans van
den Broek

(born 1936)
State SecretaryForeign Affairs• European Union
Benelux
11 September 1981 –
4 November 1982
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Hans Kombrink
(born 1946)
State SecretaryFinanceFiscal Policy
Governmental
Budget
11 September 1981 –
29 May 1982
Labour Party
Dr.
Michiel
Scheltema
(born 1939)
State SecretaryJustice)Immigration
and Asylum

Civil Law
• Youth Justice
11 September 1981 –
4 November 1982
Democrats 66
Piet van Zeil
(1927–2012)
State SecretaryEconomic AffairsSmall and
Medium-sized
Businesses

Regional
Development

• Consumer
Protection
Tourism
11 September 1981 –
22 June 1986
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Wim Dik
(1939–2022)
Trade and Export11 September 1981 –
4 November 1982
Democrats 66
Captain
Bram Stemerdink
(born 1936)
State SecretaryDefenceEquipment
Justice
11 September 1981 –
29 May 1982
Labour Party
Jan van
Houwelingen

(1939–2013)
14 September 1981 –
7 November 1989
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Ineke Lambers-
Hacquebard

(1946–2014)
State SecretaryHealth and
Environment
11 September 1981 –
4 November 1982
Democrats 66
Ien Dales
(1931–1994)
State SecretarySocial Affairs and
Employment
• Social Security
• Unemployment
Elderly Care
• Disability Policy
11 September 1981 –
29 May 1982
Labour Party
Hedy d'Ancona
(born 1937)
Occupational
Safety

Adult
Education

Equality
Emancipation
11 September 1981 –
29 May 1982
Labour Party
Ad Hermes
(1929–2002)
State SecretaryEducation and
Sciences
Primary
Education
9 January 1978 –
4 November 1982
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Wim Deetman
(born 1945)
Secondary
Education
11 September 1981 –
29 May 1982
Christian
Democratic Appeal
Jaap van
der Doef
(born 1934)
State SecretaryTransport and
Water Management
Public
Transport

Aviation
Water
Management

Postal Service
Weather
Forecasting
11 September 1981 –
29 May 1982
Labour Party
Siepie de Jong
(born 1940)
State SecretaryHousing and
Spatial Planning
Public Housing
Spatial Planning
11 September 1981 –
29 May 1982
Labour Party
Hans de Boer
(born 1937)
State SecretaryCulture, Recreation
and Social Work
• Social Services
• Nature
Culture
Art
• Recreation
11 September 1981 –
29 May 1982
Christian
Democratic Appeal

Trivia

External links

Official

Notes and References

  1. Changing Liaisons The Dynamics of Social Partnership in 20th Century West-European DemocraciesBy Karel Davids, 2007, P.165
  2. Changing Liaisons The Dynamics of Social Partnership in 20th Century West-European DemocraciesBy Karel Davids, 2007, P.165
  3. Web site: Kabinet in crisis. Andere Tijden. 15 September 2012. 24 February 2018. nl.