# Second Kok cabinet

The second Kok cabinet, also called the second Purple cabinet, was the executive branch of the Dutch government from 3 August 1998 until 22 July 2002.
The cabinet was a continuation of the previous first Kok cabinet and was formed by the social-democratic Labour Party (PvdA), the conservative-liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the social-liberal Democrats 66 after the election of 1998. The cabinet was a centrist grand coalition and had a substantial majority in the House of Representatives with Labour Leader Wim Kok serving as Prime Minister. Prominent Liberal politician Annemarie Jorritsma, the Minister of Transport and Water Management in the previous cabinet, served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs, while former progressive-liberal leader Els Borst continued as Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport and also served as Deputy Prime Minister.
The cabinet served during the economic expansion of the late 1990s and early unstable 2000s. Domestically, it was able to implement several major social reforms such as legalising same-sex marriage, and had to deal with the assassination of Pim Fortuyn. Internationally, it had to deal with several crises such as the fallout of the Srebrenica massacre and the response to September 11 attacks. The cabinet suffered several major internal and external conflicts including multiple cabinet resignations; the cabinet itself resigned prematurely on two occasions: first following a major political crisis in May 1999 (it later came back on its resignation), and second, following the conclusions of a report into the Srebrenica massacre on 16 April 2002. It continued in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced following the election of 2002.

## Formation

The new cabinet was the successor of the First Kok cabinet (First Purple cabinet) and was formed from the same coalition of Labour Party, People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and Democrats 66. It was also known as the 'tweede paarse kabinet' ('second purple cabinet') called such because it contained both the social-democratic Labour Party (red) and the liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (blue).

## Term

The aim of the cabinet was to continue the policy of cabinet Kok I, which was concerned with economizing, tax reduction and making an end to unemployment. Wim Kok was the Prime Minister, Annemarie Jorritsma as the Deputy Prime Minister for the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, and Els Borst for Democrats 66. There was no strong opposition in the parliament. The cabinet completed processes of liberalisation which were started by the previous cabinet: the legalisation of prostitution in 2000, same-sex marriage in 2001 and Euthanasia in 2002. This cabinet was notable for resigning twice. The first time was in May 1999, when Democrats 66 stepped out of the coalition when proposed legislation entered by this party was blocked; through negotiations the crisis was solved and the cabinet stayed together. The second and final time was on 16 April 2002, just one month before the next election, when Prime Minister Kok wished to resign over the NIOD report into the genocide of Srebrenica in 1995 and the other ministers had no choice but to follow him. The Second Kok cabinet remained in place as a Demissionary cabinet until 22 July 2002, when it was replaced by the First Balkenende cabinet.

### Changes

On 7 June 1999 Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries Haijo Apotheker (D66) resigned citing that as a former mayor he could not adjust to national politics. Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Klaas de Vries (PvdA) served as acting Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries until 9 June 1999 when Member of the European Parliament Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (D66), a former State Secretary for Foreign Affairs was appointed as his successor.
On 13 March 2000 Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Bram Peper (PvdA) resigned after a report was released about inappropriate declarations he had made when he served as Mayor of Rotterdam. Minister for Integration and Urban Planning Roger van Boxtel (D66) served as acting Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations until 24 March 2000 when Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Klaas de Vries (PvdA) was installed as his successor. That same day State Secretary for Finance Willem Vermeend (PvdA) was appointed as Minister of Social Affairs and Employment and Member of the House of Representatives Wouter Bos (PvdA) was installed as State Secretary for Finance.
On 1 January 2001 State Secretary for Justice Job Cohen (PvdA) resigned after he was appointed as Mayor of Amsterdam. That same day Member of the House of Representatives Ella Kalsbeek (PvdA) was installed as his successor.

## Cabinet members

| Ministers | Ministers | Ministers | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Term of office | Party |
| | | Wim Kok (1938–2018) | Prime Minister | General Affairs | | 22 August 1994 – 22 July 2002 | Labour Party |
| | | Annemarie Jorritsma (born 1950) | Deputy Prime Minister | Economic Affairs | | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Annemarie Jorritsma (born 1950) | Minister | Economic Affairs | | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Dr. Els Borst (1932–2014) | Deputy Prime Minister | Health, Welfare and Sport | | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | Democrats 66 |
| | | Dr. Els Borst (1932–2014) | Minister | Health, Welfare and Sport | | 22 August 1994 – 22 July 2002 | Democrats 66 |
| | | Dr. Bram Peper (1940–2022) | Minister | Interior and Kingdom Relations | | 3 August 1998 – 13 March 2000 | Labour Party |
| | | Roger van Boxtel (born 1954) | Minister | Interior and Kingdom Relations | | 13 March 2000 – 24 March 2000 | Democrats 66 |
| | | Klaas de Vries (born 1943) | Minister | Interior and Kingdom Relations | | 24 March 2000 – 22 July 2002 | Labour Party |
| | | Jozias van Aartsen (born 1947) | Minister | Foreign Affairs | | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Gerrit Zalm (born 1952) | Minister | Finance | | 22 August 1994 – 22 July 2002 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Benk Korthals (born 1944) | Minister | Justice | | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Frank de Grave (born 1955) | Minister | Defence | | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Klaas de Vries (born 1943) | Minister | Social Affairs and Employment | | 3 August 1998 – 24 March 2000 | Labour Party |
| | | Dr. Willem Vermeend (born 1948) | Minister | Social Affairs and Employment | | 24 March 2000 – 22 July 2002 | Labour Party |
| | | Loek Hermans (born 1951) | Minister | Education, Culture and Science | | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Tineke Netelenbos (born 1944) | Minister | Transport and Water Management | | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | Labour Party |
| | | Haijo Apotheker (born 1950) | Minister | Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries | | 3 August 1998 – 7 June 1999 | Democrats 66 |
| | | Klaas de Vries (born 1943) | Minister | Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries | | 7 June 1999 – 9 June 1999 | Labour Party |
| | | Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (born 1937) | Minister | Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries | | 9 June 1999 – 22 July 2002 | Democrats 66 |
| | | Jan Pronk (born 1940) | Minister | Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment | | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | Labour Party |
| Ministers without portfolio | Ministers without portfolio | Ministers without portfolio | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Term of office | Party |
| | | Roger van Boxtel (born 1954) | Minister | Interior and Kingdom Relations | • Urban Planning • Integration • Minorities | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | Democrats 66 |
| | | Eveline Herfkens (born 1952) | Minister | Foreign Affairs | • Development Cooperation | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | Labour Party |
| State Secretaries | State Secretaries | State Secretaries | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Term of office | Party |
| | | Gijs de Vries (born 1956) | State Secretary | Interior and Kingdom Relations | • Kingdom Relations • Emergency Services • Emergency Management • Regional Languages | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Dick Benschop (born 1957) | State Secretary | Foreign Affairs | • European Union • Benelux | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | Labour Party |
| | | Dr. Willem Vermeend (born 1948) | State Secretary | Finance | • Fiscal Policy • Tax and Customs • Governmental Budget | 22 August 1994 – 24 March 2000 | Labour Party |
| | | Wouter Bos (born 1963) | State Secretary | Finance | • Fiscal Policy • Tax and Customs • Governmental Budget | 24 March 2000 – 22 July 2002 | Labour Party |
| | | Dr. Job Cohen (born 1947) | State Secretary | Justice | • Immigration and Asylum • Civil Law • Judicial Reform • Youth Justice • Penitentiaries • Debt • Gambling | 3 August 1998 – 1 January 2001 | Labour Party |
| | | Ella Kalsbeek (born 1955) | State Secretary | Justice | • Immigration and Asylum • Civil Law • Judicial Reform • Youth Justice • Penitentiaries • Debt • Gambling | 1 January 2001 – 22 July 2002 | Labour Party |
| | | Gerrit Ybema (1945–2012) | State Secretary | Economic Affairs | • Trade and Export • Small and Medium-sized Businesses • Regional Development • Consumer Protection • Tourism | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | Democrats 66 |
| | | Commander Henk van Hoof (born 1947) | State Secretary | Defence | • Human Resources • Equipment | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Margo Vliegenthart (born 1958) | State Secretary | Health, Welfare and Sport | • Elderly Care • Youth Care • Disability Policy • Pharmaceutical Policy • Sport | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | Labour Party |
| | | Hans Hoogervorst (born 1956) | State Secretary | Social Affairs and Employment | • Social Security • Occupational Safety • Social Services | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Annelies Verstand (born 1949) | State Secretary | Social Affairs and Employment | • Unemployment • Equality • Emancipation | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | Democrats 66 |
| | | Karin Adelmund (1949–2005) | State Secretary | Education, Culture and Science | • Primary Education • Secondary Education • Special Education | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | Labour Party |
| | | Dr. Rick van der Ploeg (born 1956) | State Secretary | Education, Culture and Science | • Media • Culture • Art | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | Labour Party |
| | | Monique de Vries (born 1947) | State Secretary | Transport and Water Management | • Telecommunication • Water Management • Postal Service • Weather Forecasting | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Geke Faber (born 1952) | State Secretary | Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries | • Food Policy • Nature • Fisheries • Forestry • Animal Welfare | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | Labour Party |
| | | Johan Remkes (born 1951) | State Secretary | Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment | • Public Housing • Spatial Planning • Environmental Policy | 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
    $^{Resigned}$
    $^{Retainedfromthepreviouscabinet}$
    $^{AdInterim}$
    $^{DesignatedwiththediplomaticrankofMinister}$
    $^{Medicalleaveofabsencefrom4June1996until26June1996}$
    $^{AppointedasMinisteroftheInteriorandKingdomRelations}$
    $^{AppointedasMinisterofSocialAffairsandEmployment}$
    $^{AppointedasMayorofAmsterdam}$

## Trivia

* Seven cabinet members had previous experience as scholars and professors: Els Borst (Medical Ethics), Bram Peper (Social Economics), Gerrit Zalm (Political Economics), Willem Vermeend (Fiscal Law), Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (International Law and Relations), Job Cohen (Jurisprudence) and Rick van der Ploeg (Macroeconomics).
* Seven cabinet members (later) served as Party Leaders: Wim Kok (1986–2001), Wouter Bos (2002–2010), Job Cohen (2010–2012) of the Labour Party, Gerrit Zalm (2002–2004) and Jozias van Aartsen (2004–2006) of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, Els Borst (1998) and Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (1982) of the Democrats 66.
* Eleven cabinet members (later) served as Mayor: Annemarie Jorritsma (Delfzijl and Almere), Bram Peper (Rotterdam), Jozias van Aartsen (The Hague and Amsterdam), Loek Hermans (Zwolle), Tineke Netelenbos (Ede, Haarlemmermeer and Oud-Beijerland), Haijo Apotheker (Muntendam, Veendam, Leeuwarden, Steenwijk, Steenwijkerland, Sneek, Súdwest-Fryslân, Waadhoeke and Noardeast-Fryslân), Job Cohen (Amsterdam), Henk van Hoof (Delfzijl), Annelies Verstand (Heteren and Zutphen), Geke Faber (Zeewolde, Wageningen, Den Helder and Zaanstad) and Johan Remkes (The Hague).