The Den Uyl cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch Government from 11 May 1973 until 19 December 1977. The cabinet was formed by the social-democratic Labour Party (PvdA), the christian-democratic Catholic People's Party (KVP) and Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP), the progressive Political Party of Radicals (PPR) and the social-liberal Democrats 66 (D'66) after the election of 1972. The cabinet was a Centre-left[1] grand coalition and had a substantial majority in the House of Representatives with Labour Leader Joop den Uyl serving as Prime Minister. Prominent Catholic politician Dries van Agt, the Minister of Justice from the previous cabinet, served as Deputy Prime Minister until his resignation. Prominent Protestant politician Gaius de Gaay Fortman the Minister of the Interior assumed the office of Deputy Prime Minister on 8 September 1977.

Den Uyl cabinet

Cabinet of the Netherlands
The installation of the Den Uyl cabinet on 11 May 1973
Date formed11 May 1973 (1973-05-11)
Date dissolved19 December 1977 (1977-12-19)
(Demissionary from 22 March 1977 (1977-03-22))
People and organisations
Head of stateQueen Juliana
Head of governmentJoop den Uyl
Deputy head of governmentDries van Agt (1973–1977)
Gaius de Gaay Fortman (1977)
No. of ministers16
Ministers removed3
Total no. of members18
Member partyLabour Party
(PvdA)
Catholic People's Party
(KVP)
Anti-Revolutionary Party
(ARP)
Political Party
of Radicals

(PPR)
Democrats 66
(D'66)
Status in legislatureCentre-left
Majority government
(Grand coalition)
History
Election1972 election
Outgoing election1977 election
Legislature terms1972–1977
Incoming formation1972–1973 formation
Outgoing formation1977 formation
PredecessorSecond Biesheuvel cabinet
SuccessorFirst Van Agt cabinet

The cabinet served during the tumultuous 1970s and had to deal with several major crises such as the 1973 oil crisis, the Lockheed scandal, the Moluccans incidents and the fallout of the Yom Kippur War. Internally the cabinet suffered several conflicts, including the poor working relationship between Prime Minister Den Uyl and Deputy Prime Minister Van Agt, and multiple resignations. The cabinet fell on 22 March 1977, just before the end of its term, following a major political crisis, and continued in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced following the election of 1977.[2][3][4]

Formation

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After the 1972 election the Labour Party (PvdA) of Joop den Uyl was the winner of the election, winning four new seats and having now a total of 43 seats. Prior to the election the PvdA had formed a political alliance with the progressive Christian Political Party of Radicals and the social-liberal Democrats 66, but this alliance failed to achieve a majority in the House of Representatives. After lengthy negotiations the Christian-democratic Catholic People's Party (KVP) and Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) 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 KVP and the ARP joined the cabinet.

Term

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The Den Uyl cabinet was confronted with many problems, starting with the 1973 oil crisis following 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.[5]

Domestically the cabinet had several major conflicts, including the terrorist attacks by Moluccans seeking independence from Indonesia, 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 Pieter 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.[6]

Changes

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On 1 November 1973, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Tiemen Brouwer (KVP) resigned for reasons of health; shortly after he took office, he suffered 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 had 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 had 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 Mayor of Amsterdam; 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.

 
Gabonese First Lady Patience Dabany, Queen Juliana, President of Gabon Omar Bongo and Prince Bernhard at Soestdijk Palace on 14 May 1973
 
President of the European Commission François-Xavier Ortoli and Prime Minister Joop den Uyl at the Catshuis on 22 October 1973
 
Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs Mário Soares, Minister Max van der Stoel and Prime Minister Joop den Uyl at the Catshuis on 4 May 1974
 
Prime Minister Joop den Uyl and Prime Minister of Sweden Olof Palme at the Ministry of General Affairs on 12 September 1974
 
Prime Minister Joop den Uyl and former Chancellor of West Germany Willy Brandt at a Party of European Socialists conference in the Hague on 1 November 1974
 
Minister Max van der Stoel, Chancellor of West Germany Helmut Schmidt and Prime Minister Joop den Uyl at the Catshuis on 2 November 1974
 
Prime Minister Joop den Uyl and Prime Minister of Australia Gough Whitlam at Schiphol Airport on 3 January 1975
 
Prime Minister Joop den Uyl, Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau, Minister Jaap Boersma and Minister Ruud Lubbers at the Canadian Embassy in The Hague on 28 February 1975
 
Prime Minister of Suriname Henck Arron and Prime Minister Joop den Uyl at the Catshuis on 25 June 1975
 
Prime Minister of Denmark Anker Jørgensen and Prime Minister Joop den Uyl at Schiphol Airport on 19 August 1975
 
Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Yigal Allon and Prime Minister Joop den Uyl at the Ministry of General Affairs on 10 November 1975
 
Prime Minister of Belgium Leo Tindemans and Prime Minister Joop den Uyl at a Benelux conference in The Hague on 23 March 1976
 
United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Prime Minister Joop den Uyl at the Catshuis on 11 August 1976
 
French Socialist Leader François Mitterrand and Prime Minister Joop den Uyl at the Catshuis on 28 September 1976
 
Prime Minister Joop den Uyl and Prime Minister of Norway Odvar Nordli at Schiphol Airport on 10 October 1976
 
British Leader of the Opposition Margaret Thatcher and Prime Minister Joop den Uyl at the Catshuis on 6 December 1976
 
Prime Minister Joop den Uyl and East German Minister of Foreign Affairs Oskar Fischer at the Ministry of General Affairs on 24 January 1977
 
Prime Minister of Poland Piotr Jaroszewicz and Prime Minister Joop den Uyl at Ypenburg Airport on 14 March 1977
 
President of Zambia Kenneth Kaunda, Prime Minister Joop den Uyl and Minister Max van der Stoel at the Ministry of General Affairs on 13 June 1977
 
Minister Max van der Stoel, Prime Minister of Spain Adolfo Suárez and Prime Minister Joop den Uyl at the Catshuis on 29 August 1977
 
ANC Secretary-General Oliver Tambo, ANC Treasurer-General Thomas Nkobi and Minister Jan Pronk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 5 October 1977

Cabinet members

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Ministers Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) Term of office Party
  Joop den Uyl
(1919–1987)
Prime Minister General Affairs 11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Labour Party
  Dries van Agt
(1931–2024)
Deputy
Prime Minister
Justice 11 May 1973 –
8 September 1977
[Res]
Catholic
People's Party
Minister 6 July 1971 –
8 September 1977
[Retained] [Res]
  Dr.
Gaius de
Gaay Fortman

(1911–1997)
Deputy
Prime Minister
Justice 8 September 1977 –
19 December 1977
Anti-Revolutionary
Party
Minister
Minister Interior 11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Minister Suriname and
Netherlands
Antilles Affairs
11 May 1973 –
25 November 1975
Netherlands
Antilles Affairs
25 November 1975 –
19 December 1977
  Max van der Stoel
(1924–2011)
Minister Foreign Affairs 11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Labour Party
  Dr.
Wim Duisenberg
(1935–2005)
Minister Finance 11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Labour Party
  Ruud Lubbers
(1939–2018)
Minister Economic Affairs 11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Catholic
People's Party
  Henk Vredeling
(1924–2007)
Minister Defence 11 May 1973 –
1 January 1977
[App]
Labour Party
  Captain
Bram Stemerdink
(born 1936)
1 January 1977 –
19 December 1977
Labour Party
  Irene Vorrink
(1918–1996)
Minister Health and
Environment
11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Labour Party
  Jaap Boersma
(1929–2012)
Minister Social Affairs 6 July 1971 –
19 December 1977
[Retained]
Anti-Revolutionary
Party
  Dr.
Jos van Kemenade
(1937–2020)
Minister Education and
Sciences
11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Labour Party
  Tjerk Westerterp
(1930–2023)
Minister Transport and
Water Management
11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Catholic
People's Party
  Tiemen Brouwer
(1916–1977)
Minister Agriculture and
Fisheries
11 May 1973 –
1 November 1973
[Res]
Catholic
People's Party
  Fons van der Stee
(1928–1999)
1 November 1973 –
5 March 1980
[Continued]
Catholic
People's Party
  Hans Gruijters
(1931–2005)
Minister Housing and
Spatial Planning
11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Democrats 66
  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/Ministry/Portfolio(s) Term of office Party
  Jan Pronk
(born 1940)
Minister Foreign Affairs Development
Cooperation
11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Labour Party
  Boy Trip
(1921–1990)
Minister Education and
Sciences
Science Policy 11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Political Party
of Radicals
State Secretaries Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) Term of office Party
  Wim Polak
(1924–1999)
State Secretary Interior Municipalities
Civil Service
11 May 1973 –
1 May 1977
[App]
Labour Party
  Laurens Jan
Brinkhorst

(born 1937)
State Secretary Foreign Affairs European Union
Benelux
NATO
11 May 1973 –
8 September 1977
[Res]
Democrats 66
  Dr.
Pieter Kooijmans
(1933–2013)
United Nations
International
Organizations
11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Anti-Revolutionary
Party
  Fons van der Stee
(1928–1999)
State Secretary Finance Fiscal Policy
Tax and Customs
11 May 1973 –
1 November 1973
[App]
Catholic
People's Party
  Martin van Rooijen
(born 1942)
21 December 1973 –
14 October 1977
[Res]
Catholic
People's Party
  Aar de Goede
(1928–2016)
Governmental
Budget
11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Democrats 66
  Dr.
Jan Glastra
van Loon

(1920–2001)
State Secretary Justice Immigration
and Asylum

Civil Law
Judicial Reform
• Youth Justice
13 June 1973 –
27 May 1975
[Res]
Democrats 66
  Henk Zeevalking
(1922–2005)
6 June 1975 –
8 September 1977
[Res]
Democrats 66
  Ted Hazekamp
(1926–1987)
State Secretary Economic Affairs Small and
Medium-sized
Businesses

Regional
Development

• Consumer
Protection
Tourism
11 May 1973 –
11 September 1981
[Continued]
Catholic
People's Party
  Joep
Mommersteeg

(1917–1991)
State Secretary Defence Human
Resources
11 May 1973 –
1 March 1974
[Res]
Catholic
People's Party
  Brigadier general
Cees van Lent
(1922–2000)
11 March 1974 –
11 September 1981
[Continued]
Catholic
People's Party
  Captain
Bram Stemerdink
(born 1936)
Equipment
Justice
11 May 1973 –
1 January 1977
[App]
Labour Party
  Jo Hendriks
(1923–2001)
State Secretary Health and
Environment
Primary
Healthcare

Elderly Care
Disability Policy
11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Catholic
People's Party
  Jan Mertens
(1916–2000)
State Secretary Social Affairs • Social Security
Occupational
Safety
11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Catholic
People's Party
  Dr.
Ger Klein
(1925–1998)
State Secretary Education and
Sciences
Higher
Education
11 May 1973 –
8 September 1977
[Res]
Labour Party
  Dr.
Antoon Veerman
(1916–1993)
Secondary
Education

Special
Education
11 May 1973 –
1 September 1975
[Res]
Anti-Revolutionary
Party
  Klaas de Jong
(1926–2011)
1 September 1975 –
11 September 1981
[Continued]
Anti-Revolutionary
Party
  Dr.
Michel van Hulten
(born 1930)
State Secretary Transport and
Water Management
Public
Infrastructure

Public
Transport

Postal Service
11 May 1973 –
19 December 1977
Political Party
of Radicals
  Jan Schaefer
(1940–1994)
State Secretary Housing and
Spatial Planning
Urban Planning
Spatial Planning
11 May 1973 –
8 September 1977
[Res]
Labour Party
  Marcel van Dam
(born 1938)
Public Housing 11 May 1973 –
8 September 1977
[Res]
Labour Party
  Wim Meijer
(born 1939)
State Secretary Culture, Recreation
and Social Work
• Social Services
Environmental
Policy

• Nature
• Recreation
11 May 1973 –
8 September 1977
[Res]
Labour Party
Source: (in Dutch) Rijksoverheid
Resigned
Retained from the previous cabinet
Continued in the next cabinet
Appointed as European Commissioner
Appointed as Mayor of Amsterdam
Appointed as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries
Appointed as Minister of Defence

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Changing Liaisons The Dynamics of Social Partnership in 20th Century West-European DemocraciesBy Karel Davids, 2007, P.165
  2. ^ (in Dutch) De mythe van het vechtkabinet van Joop den Uyl Archived 9 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine. University of Rotterdam. 2002
  3. ^ (in Dutch) Suèr, Henk. "Joop den Uyl: verguisd en inspirerend" (PDF). Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). roodkoper.nl
  4. ^ "Onthullende biografie Joop den Uyl" (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 27 June 2009. Retrieved 17 April 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). University of Amsterdam. 21 February 2008
  5. ^ "De hobbelstrategie" (in Dutch). De Groene Amsterdammer. 25 October 1995. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  6. ^ "Waarom het kabinet-Den Uyl moest vallen; Bonje om de premier-bonus" (in Dutch). NRC Handelsblad. 22 March 1997. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
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