Den Uyl cabinet

Den Uyl cabinet
Den Uyl cabinet
; 55th Cabinet of the Netherlands
	The installation of the Den Uyl cabinet on 11 May 1973
Date formed	11 May 1973
Date dissolved	19 December 1977 ; (Demissionary from 22 March 1977)
People and organisations
Head of state	Queen Juliana
Head of government	Joop den Uyl
Deputy head of government	Dries van Agt (1973–1977) ; Gaius de Gaay Fortman (1977)
No. of ministers	16
Ministers removed	3
Total no. of members	18
Member party	Labour Party ; (PvdA) ; Catholic People's Party ; (KVP) ; Anti-Revolutionary Party ; (ARP) ; Political Party ; of Radicals ; (PPR) ; Democrats 66 ; (D'66)
Status in legislature	Left-wing Majority government
Opposition party	People's Party for ; Freedom and Democracy
Opposition leader	Hans Wiegel
History
Election	1972 election
Outgoing election	1977 election
Legislature terms	1972–1977
Incoming formation	1972–1973 formation
Outgoing formation	1977 formation
Predecessor	Second Biesheuvel cabinet
Successor	First Van Agt cabinet

The Den Uyl cabinet was the cabinet of the Netherlands from 11 May 1973 until 19 December 1977. The cabinet was formed by the political parties Labour Party (PvdA), Catholic People's Party (KVP), Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP), Political Party of Radicals (PPR) and the Democrats 66 (D'66) after the election of 1972. The left-wing cabinet was a majority government in the House of Representatives. Joop den Uyl, the Leader of the Labour Party was Prime Minister, with Dries van Agt of the Catholic People's Party and Gaius de Gaay Fortman of the Anti-Revolutionary Party serving as Deputy Prime Ministers.^[1]

Formation

After the 1972 election the Labour Party (PvdA) of Joop den Uyl was the winner of the election which won four new seats and had now a total of 43 seats. Prior to the election the Labour Party had formed a Political alliance with the progressive Christian Political Party of Radicals and the social-liberal Democrats 66 but failed to achieve a majority in the House of Representatives. After lengthy negotiations the Christian-democratic Catholic People's Party and Anti-Revolutionary Party agreed to start talks about joining the coalition. During the formation negotiations between the parties were difficult because of disputes between uncompromising left-wing radicals and the moderate factions of the left-wing parties and the left-wing Christians. In the end both the Catholic People's Party and Anti-Revolutionary Party joined the cabinet.

Term

The cabinet Den Uyl was confronted with many problems. An early problem was the 1973 oil boycott following the Dutch support of Israel in the Yom Kippur War. Prime Minister Joop den Uyl said in a speech on national television that "things would never return to the way they were" and implemented fuel rationing and a ban on Sunday driving.

Domestically the cabinet had several major conflicts. The terrorist attacks by Moluccans seeking independence from Indonesia where a major source of problems. The Lockheed affair (bribes accepted by the queen's husband) and the closing of the abortion clinic Bloemenhove. Many plans could not be implemented because of these problems.

The cabinet fell because of a disagreement over land development plans. A deeper cause was the left-wing distrust of the Christian ministers, especially in the case of war criminal Menten, where Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Dries van Agt was ridiculed (so believed Van Agt) by some party members of Prime Minister Joop den Uyl.^[2]

Changes

On 1 November 1973 Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Tiemen Brouwer (KVP) resigned because of health reasons shortly after he took office he was struck with a brain haemorrhage. That same day State Secretary for Finance Fons van der Stee (KVP) was installed as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. On 21 December 1973 Martin van Rooijen (KVP), who until then had been working as the head of the fiscal tax department for Royal Dutch Shell was appointed as State Secretary for Finance.

On 1 March 1974 State Secretary for Defence Joep Mommersteeg (KVP) resigned because of health problems. On 11 March 1974 brigadier general Cees van Lent (KVP), who until then has been working as Chief of the Personnel Department of the Royal Netherlands Army was installed as his successor.

On 27 May 1975 State Secretary for Justice Jan Glastra van Loon (D'66) resigned due to a conflict with top officials at the Ministry of Defence after criticizing the department's leadership in an interview. On 6 June 1975 former Utrecht Alderman Henk Zeevalking (D'66) was appointed his successor.

On 1 September 1975 State Secretary for Education and Sciences Antoon Veerman (ARP) resigned because of health reasons. That same day Klaas de Jong (ARP), who until then has been working as rector of the Christian school in Amersfoort was installed as his successor.

On 1 January 1977 Minister of Defence Henk Vredeling (PvdA) resigned after he was appointed as European Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs. That same day State Secretary for Defence Bram Stemerdink (PvdA) was appointed as his successor.

On 1 May 1977 State Secretary for the Interior Wim Polak (PvdA) resigned after he was appointed as Mayor of Amsterdam and because the cabinet was already demissionary he was not replaced.

On 8 September 1977 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Dries van Agt (KVP) resigned because of the dualism of the constitutional convention in the States General of the Netherlands after he was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives. Minister of the Interior Gaius de Gaay Fortman (ARP) took over both positions until the new cabinet was installed on 19 December 1977.

For the same reason, on 8 September 1977 State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (D'66), State Secretary for Justice Henk Zeevalking (D'66), State Secretary for Economic Affairs Ted Hazekamp (KVP), State Secretary for Education and Sciences Ger Klein (PvdA), State Secretaries for Housing and Spatial Planning Jan Schaefer (PvdA) and Marcel van Dam (PvdA) and State Secretary for Culture, Recreation and Social Work Wim Meijer (PvdA) also resigned.

Secretary-General of the African National Congress Oliver Tambo, Treasurer General of the African National Congress Thomas Nkobi and Minister for Development Cooperation Jan Pronk on 5 October 1977.

Composition

Ministers		Title/Ministry		Term of office	Party
style="background:Template:Labour Party (Netherlands)/meta/color;"\|	Joop den Uyl (1919–1987)	Prime Minister	General Affairs	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Labour Party
style="background:Template:Catholic People's Party/meta/color;"\|	Dries van Agt (born 1931)	Deputy Prime Minister / Minister	Justice	6 July 1971 – 8 September 1977 ^[Retained] ^[Res]	Catholic People's Party
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Anti Revolutionary Party/meta/color;"\|	Dr. Gaius de Gaay Fortman (1911–1997)	Deputy Prime Minister / Minister	Justice	8 September 1977 – 19 December 1977	Anti-Revolutionary Party
Minister	Dr. Gaius de Gaay Fortman (1911–1997)	Interior	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977		Anti-Revolutionary Party
style="background:Template:Labour Party (Netherlands)/meta/color;"\|	Max van der Stoel (1924–2011)	Minister	Foreign Affairs	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Labour Party
style="background:Template:Labour Party (Netherlands)/meta/color;"\|	Dr. Wim Duisenberg (1935–2005)	Minister	Finance	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Labour Party
style="background:Template:Catholic People's Party/meta/color;"\|	Ruud Lubbers (1939–2018)	Minister	Economic Affairs	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Labour Party (Netherlands)/meta/color;"\|	Henk Vredeling (1924–2007)	Minister	Defence	11 May 1973 – 1 January 1977 ^[Appt]	Labour Party
style="background:Template:Labour Party (Netherlands)/meta/color;"\|	Bram Stemerdink (born 1936)	Minister	Defence	1 January 1977 – 19 December 1977	Labour Party
style="background:Template:Labour Party (Netherlands)/meta/color;"\|	Irene Vorrink (1918–1996)	Minister	Health and Environment	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Labour Party
style="background:Template:Anti Revolutionary Party/meta/color;"\|	Jaap Boersma (1929–2012)	Minister	Social Affairs	6 July 1971 – 19 December 1977 ^[Retained]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
style="background:Template:Labour Party (Netherlands)/meta/color;"\|	Dr. Jos van Kemenade (1937–2020)	Minister	Education and Sciences	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Labour Party
style="background:Template:Catholic People's Party/meta/color;"\|	Tjerk Westerterp (born 1930)	Minister	Transport and Water Management	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Catholic People's Party/meta/color;"\|	Tiemen Brouwer (1916–1977)	Minister	Agriculture and Fisheries	11 May 1973 – 1 November 1973 ^[Res]	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Catholic People's Party/meta/color;"\|	Fons van der Stee (1928–1999)	Minister	Agriculture and Fisheries	1 November 1973 – 5 March 1980	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Democrats 66/meta/color;"\|	Hans Gruijters (1931–2005)	Minister	Housing and Spatial Planning	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Democrats 66
style="background:Template:Political Party of Radicals/meta/color;"\|	Harry van Doorn (1915–1992)	Minister	Culture, Recreation and Social Work	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Political Party of Radicals
Ministers without portfolio		Title/Portfolio/Ministry		Term of office	Party
style="background:Template:Labour Party (Netherlands)/meta/color;"\|	Jan Pronk (born 1940)	Minister	Development Cooperation (within Foreign Affairs)	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Labour Party
style="background:Template:Political Party of Radicals/meta/color;"\|	Boy Trip (1921–1990)	Minister	Science Policy (within Education and Sciences)	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Political Party of Radicals
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Anti Revolutionary Party/meta/color;"\|	Dr. Gaius de Gaay Fortman (1911–1997)	Minister	Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs (within Interior)	11 May 1973 – 25 November 1975	Anti-Revolutionary Party
Netherlands Antilles Affairs (within Interior)	Dr. Gaius de Gaay Fortman (1911–1997)	Minister	25 November 1975 – 19 December 1977		Anti-Revolutionary Party
State Secretaries		Title/Portfolio/Ministry		Term of office	Party
style="background:Template:Labour Party (Netherlands)/meta/color;"\|	Wim Polak (1924–1999)	State Secretary	• Central Government Affairs • Local Government Affairs • Government Real Estate (within Interior)	11 May 1973 – 1 May 1977 ^[Appt]	Labour Party
style="background:Template:Democrats 66/meta/color;"\|	Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (born 1937)	State Secretary	• European Affairs • NATO Affairs • Benelux Affairs • International Aviation Policy (within Foreign Affairs)	11 May 1973 – 8 September 1977 ^[Res]	Democrats 66
style="background:Template:Anti Revolutionary Party/meta/color;"\|	Dr. Pieter Kooijmans (1933–2013)	State Secretary	• United Nations Affairs • International Cooperation (within Foreign Affairs)	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Anti-Revolutionary Party
style="background:Template:Catholic People's Party/meta/color;"\|	Fons van der Stee (1928–1999)	State Secretary	• Fiscal Affairs • Tax and Customs Administration • National Mint (within Finance)	11 May 1973 – 1 November 1973 ^[Appt]	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Catholic People's Party/meta/color;"\|	Martin van Rooijen (born 1942)			21 December 1973 – 14 October 1977 ^[Res]	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Democrats 66/meta/color;"\|	Aar de Goede (1928–2016)		• Local Government Finances • Gambling Policy • State Lottery (within Finance)	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Democrats 66
style="background:Template:Democrats 66/meta/color;"\|	Dr. Jan Glastra van Loon (1920–2001)	State Secretary	• Integration • Immigration • Asylum Affairs • Privacy Policy • Administrative Law • Family Law • Youth Justice (within Justice)	13 June 1973 – 27 May 1975 ^[Res]	Democrats 66
style="background:Template:Democrats 66/meta/color;"\|	Henk Zeevalking (1922–2005)	State Secretary		6 June 1975 – 8 September 1977 ^[Res]	Democrats 66
style="background:Template:Catholic People's Party/meta/color;"\|	Ted Hazekamp (1926–1987)	State Secretary	• Small Business Policy • Retail Policy • Competition Policy • Regional Development • Consumer Protection • Tourism Affairs (within Economic Affairs)	11 May 1973 – 11 September 1981	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Catholic People's Party/meta/color;"\|	Joep Mommersteeg (1917–1991)	State Secretary	• Personnel Affairs (within Defence)	11 May 1973 – 1 March 1974 ^[Res]	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Catholic People's Party/meta/color;"\|	Brigadier general Cees van Lent (1922–2000)		• Personnel Affairs (within Defence)	11 March 1974 – 11 September 1981	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Labour Party (Netherlands)/meta/color;"\|	Bram Stemerdink (born 1936)		• Equipment Policy • Military Justice (within Defence)	11 May 1973 – 1 January 1977 ^[Appt]	Labour Party
style="background:Template:Catholic People's Party/meta/color;"\|	Jo Hendriks (1923–2001)	State Secretary	• Elderly Policy • Disability Affairs • Veteran Affairs • Environmental Policy (within Health and Environment)	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Catholic People's Party/meta/color;"\|	Jan Mertens (1916–2000)	State Secretary	• Social Security • Occupational Safety (within Social Affairs)	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Labour Party (Netherlands)/meta/color;"\|	Dr. Ger Klein (1925–1998)	State Secretary	• Higher Education • Adult Education • Teacher Policy (within Education and Sciences)	11 May 1973 – 8 September 1977 ^[Res]	Labour Party
style="background:Template:Anti Revolutionary Party/meta/color;"\|	Dr. Antoon Veerman (1916–1993)		• Secondary Education • Special Education (within Education and Sciences)	11 May 1973 – 1 September 1975 ^[Res]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
style="background:Template:Anti Revolutionary Party/meta/color;"\|	Klaas de Jong (1926–2011)			1 September 1975 – 11 September 1981	Anti-Revolutionary Party
style="background:Template:Political Party of Radicals/meta/color;"\|	Dr. Michel van Hulten (born 1930)	State Secretary	• Transport Infrastructure • Water Infrastructure • Public Transport • Postal Service • Weather Forecasting Service (within Transport and Water Management)	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Political Party of Radicals
style="background:Template:Labour Party (Netherlands)/meta/color;"\|	Jan Schaefer (1940–1994)	State Secretary	• Urban Planning • Spatial Planning (within Housing and Spatial Planning)	11 May 1973 – 8 September 1977 ^[Res]	Labour Party
style="background:Template:Labour Party (Netherlands)/meta/color;"\|	Marcel van Dam (born 1938)	State Secretary	• Public Housing (within Housing and Spatial Planning)	11 May 1973 – 8 September 1977 ^[Res]	Labour Party
style="background:Template:Labour Party (Netherlands)/meta/color;"\|	Wim Meijer (born 1939)	State Secretary	• Unemployment Affairs • Social Services • Youth Policy • Poverty Policy • Nature Policy • Recreation Affairs • Sport (within Culture, Recreation and Social Work)	11 May 1973 – 8 September 1977 ^[Res]	Labour Party
Source: (in Dutch) Rijksoverheid

^Retained Retained this position from the previous cabinet.

^Appt Appointment: Henk Vredeling appointed European Commissioner; Wim Polak appointed Mayor of Amsterdam; Fons van der Stee appointed Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries; Bram Stemerdink appointed Minister of Defence.

^Res Resigned.

References

^ "De hobbelstrategie" (in Dutch). De Groene Amsterdammer. 25 October 1995. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
^ "Waarom het kabinet-Den Uyl moest vallen; Bonje om de premier-bonus" (in Dutch). NRC Handelsblad. 22 March 1997. Retrieved 31 July 2018.

External links

Official

(in Dutch) Kabinet-Den Uyl Parlement & Politiek
(in Dutch) Kabinet-Den Uyl Rijksoverheid

[1] "De hobbelstrategie" (in Dutch). De Groene Amsterdammer. 25 October 1995. Retrieved 15 August 2017.

[2] "Waarom het kabinet-Den Uyl moest vallen; Bonje om de premier-bonus" (in Dutch). NRC Handelsblad. 22 March 1997. Retrieved 31 July 2018.

[1]

[2]

v t e Den Uyl cabinet (1973–1977)
Preceded: Second Biesheuvel cabinet Succeed: First Van Agt cabinet
Prime Minister	Joop den Uyl (General Affairs)
Deputy Prime Ministers	Dries van Agt (Justice) (1973–1977) Gaius de Gaay Fortman (Justice) (from 1977)
Ministers	Gaius de Gaay Fortman (Interior and Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs) Max van der Stoel (Foreign Affairs) Wim Duisenberg (Finance) Ruud Lubbers (Economic Affairs) Henk Vredeling (Defence) (1973–1977) Bram Stemerdink (Defence) (from 1977) Irene Vorrink (Health and the Environment) Jaap Boersma (Social Affairs) Jos van Kemenade (Education and Sciences) Tjerk Westerterp (Transport and Water Management) Tiemen Brouwer (Agriculture and Fisheries) (1973) Fons van der Stee (Agriculture and Fisheries) (from 1973) Hans Gruijters (Housing and Spatial Planning) Harry van Doorn (Culture, Recreation and Social Work)
Ministers without portfolio	Jan Pronk (Development Cooperation) Boy Trip (Science Policy)
State Secretaries	Wim Polak (Interior) (1973–1977) Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (Foreign Affairs) (1973–1977) Pieter Kooijmans (Foreign Affairs) Fons van der Stee (Finance) (1973) Martin van Rooijen (Finance) (1973–1977) Aar de Goede (Finance) Jan Glastra van Loon (Justice) (1973–1975) Henk Zeevalking (Justice) (1975–1977) Ted Hazekamp (Economic Affairs) Joep Mommersteeg (Defence) (1973–1974) Cees van Lent (Defence) (from 1974) Bram Stemerdink (Defence) (1973–1977) Jo Hendriks (Health and the Environment) Jan Mertens (Social Affairs) Ger Klein (Education and Sciences) (1973–1977) Antoon Veerman (Education and Sciences) (1973–1975) Klaas de Jong (Education and Sciences) (from 1975) Michel van Hulten (Transport and Water Management) Jan Schaefer (Housing and Spatial Planning) (1973–1977) Marcel van Dam (Housing and Spatial Planning) (1973–1977) Wim Meijer (Culture, Recreation and Social Work) (1973–1977)