First Biesheuvel cabinet

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.

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.

File:Schmelzer, Norbert - SFA002011286.jpg

Princess Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium, Queen Juliana, Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg and Minister of Foreign Affairs Norbert Schmelzer at Luxembourg Airport on 7 July 1971.

File:Premier Biesheuvel ontvangt premier Trygve Bratteli van Noorwegen in Catshuis De, Bestanddeelnr 925-2933.jpg

Prime Minister of Norway Trygve Bratteli and Prime Minister Barend Biesheuvel at the Catshuis on 8 January 1972.

File:Andrei Gromyko and Barend Biesheuvel 1972.jpg

Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Gromyko and Prime Minister Barend Biesheuvel at the Catshuis op 5 July 1972.

Cabinet members

Ministers			Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s)			Term of office	Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Barend Biesheuvel	Barend Biesheuvel (1920–2001)	Prime Minister	General Affairs		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Roelof Nelissen	Roelof Nelissen (1931–2019)	Deputy Prime Minister	Finance		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
Minister
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Molly Geertsema	Molly Geertsema (1918–1991)	Deputy Prime Minister	Interior		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Minister
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Norbert Schmelzer	Norbert Schmelzer (1921–2008)	Minister	Foreign Affairs		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Dries van Agt	Dries van Agt (1931–2024)	Minister	Justice		6 July 1971 – 8 September 1977 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Harry Langman	Harrie Langman (1931–2016)	Minister	Economic Affairs		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Hans de Koster	Hans de Koster (1914–1992)	Minister	Defence		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Louis Stuyt	Dr. Louis Stuyt (1914–2000)	Minister	Health and Environment		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Jaap Boersma	Jaap Boersma (1929–2012)	Minister	Social Affairs		6 July 1971 – 19 December 1977 [Continued]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Chris van Veen	Chris van Veen (1922–2009)	Minister	Education and Sciences		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Christian Historical Union
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Willem Drees Jr.	Dr. Willem Drees Jr. (1922–1998)	Minister	Transport and Water Management		6 July 1971 – 21 July 1972 [Res]	Democratic Socialists '70
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Bé Udink	Bé Udink (1926–2016)				21 July 1972 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Christian Historical Union
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Pierre Lardinois	Pierre Lardinois (1924–1987)	Minister	Agriculture and Fisheries		5 April 1967 – 1 January 1973 [Retained] [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Bé Udink	Bé Udink (1926–2016)	Minister	Housing and Spatial Planning		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Christian Historical Union
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Piet Engels	Piet Engels (1923–1994)	Minister	Culture, Recreation and Social Work		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
Ministers without portfolio			Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s)			Term of office	Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Roelof Nelissen	Roelof Nelissen (1931–2019)	Minister	Interior	• Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs	6 July 1971 – 28 January 1972	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Pierre Lardinois	Pierre Lardinois (1924–1987)				28 January 1972 – 1 January 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Kees Boertien	Dr. Kees Boertien (1927–2002)	Minister	Foreign Affairs	• Development Cooperation	6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Mauk de Brauw	Jonkheer Mauk de Brauw (1925–1984)	Minister	Education and Sciences	• Higher Education • Science Policy	6 July 1971 – 21 July 1972 [Res]	Democratic Socialists '70
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Chris van Veen	Chris van Veen (1922–2009)				21 July 1972 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Christian Historical Union
State Secretaries			Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s)			Term of office	Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Jan van Stuijvenberg	Jan van Stuijvenberg (born 1928)	State Secretary	Interior	• Municipalities • civil service	17 July 1971 – 21 July 1972 [Res]	Democratic Socialists '70
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Tjerk Westerterp	Tjerk Westerterp (1930–2023)	State Secretary	Foreign Affairs	• European Union • Benelux	17 August 1971 – 7 March 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Willem Scholten	Willem Scholten (1927–2005)	State Secretary	Finance	• Fiscal Policy • Tax and Customs	14 July 1971 – 19 March 1973 [Continued]	Christian Historical Union
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Fons van der Stee	Fons van der Stee (1928–1999)			• Governmental Budget	14 July 1971 – 12 March 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Hans Grosheide	Hans Grosheide (1930–2022)	State Secretary	Justice	• Immigration and Asylum • Civil Law • Youth Justice • Penitentiaries	28 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Jan Oostenbrink	Jan Oostenbrink (born 1936)	State Secretary	Economic Affairs	• Small and Medium-sized Businesses • Consumer Protection • Tourism	17 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Adri van Es	Vice admiral Adri van Es (1913–1994)	State Secretary	Defence	• Human Resources • Equipment	14 August 1963 – 16 September 1972 [Retained] [Continued]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Koos Rietkerk	Koos Rietkerk (1927–1986)	State Secretary	Social Affairs	• Social Security • Unemployment • Occupational Safety • Social Services	28 July 1971 – 23 April 1973 [Continued]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Kees Schelfhout	Kees Schelfhout (1918–1983)	State Secretary	Education and Sciences	• Primary Education • Special Education • Preschool	28 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Roelof Kruisinga	Dr. Roelof Kruisinga (1922–2012)	State Secretary	Transport and Water Management	• Public Infrastructure • Public Transport • Rail Transport • Water Management • Postal Service • Weather Forecasting	28 July 1971 – 20 March 1973 [Continued]	Christian Historical Union
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	File:Netherlands politic personality icon.svg	Werner Buck (1925–2010)	State Secretary	Housing and Spatial Planning	• Urban Planning • Spatial Planning	17 August 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Fia van Veenendaal-van Meggelen	Fia van Veenendaal- van Meggelen (1918–2005)	State Secretary	Culture, Recreation and Social Work	• Social Services • Disability Policy	28 July 1971 – 21 July 1972 [Res]	Democratic Socialists '70
style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Henk Vonhoff	Henk Vonhoff (1931–2010)			• Youth Care • Nature • Culture • Art • Recreation • Sport	28 July 1971 – 23 April 1973 [Continued]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy

^Resigned

^{Retained from the previous cabinet}

^{Continued in the next cabinet}

Trivia

• Six cabinet members (later) served as Party Leaders and Lijsttrekkers: Barend Biesheuvel (1963–1973) of the Anti-Revolutionary Party, Molly Geertsema (1969–1971) of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, Norbert Schmelzer (1963–1971) of the Catholic People's Party, Dries van Agt (1976–1982) of the Christian Democratic Appeal, Willem Drees Jr. (1971–1977) of the Democratic Socialists '70, Bé Udink (1970–1971) and Roelof Kruisinga (1971–1977) of the Christian Historical Union.
• Five cabinet members had previous experience as scholars and professors: Dries van Agt (Criminal Law and Procedure), Louis Stuyt (Internal Medicine), Willem Drees Jr. (Public Economics), Kees Boertien (Commercial Law) and Roelof Kruisinga (Otorhinolaryngology).
• Four cabinet members (later) served as Queen's Commissioner: Molly Geertsema (Gelderland), Dries van Agt (North Brabant), Kees Boertien (Zeeland) and Henk Vonhoff (Groningen).

External links

Official

• Template:In lang Kabinet-Biesheuvel I en II Parlement & Politiek
• Template:In lang Kabinet-Biesheuvel Rijksoverheid