# Second Biesheuvel cabinet

The second Biesheuvel cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch Government from 9 August 1972 until 11 May 1973. The cabinet was formed by the christian-democratic Catholic People's Party (KVP), Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and Christian Historical Union (CHU) and the conservative-liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) after the fall of the previous Cabinet Biesheuvel I. The cabinet was a centre-right caretaker government and had a minority in the House of Representatives. Protestant Leader Barend Biesheuvel of the Anti-Revolutionary Party served as Prime Minister. Prominent Catholic politician Roelof Nelissen served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and former Liberal Leader Molly Geertsema served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior. The rump cabinet served until the election of 1972.

## Formation

Following the fall of the First Biesheuvel cabinet the Democratic Socialists '70 (DS'70) left the coalition and the Catholic People's Party, People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, Anti-Revolutionary Party and the Christian Historical Union formed a Rump cabinet. Because the following negotiations for forming the next cabinet took rather long, the cabinet took further reaching decisions than a caretaker cabinet is usually supposed to do.

## Cabinet Members

| Ministers | Ministers | Ministers | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Term of office | Party |
| | | Barend Biesheuvel (1920–2001) | Prime Minister | General Affairs | | 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | Anti-Revolutionary Party |
| | | Roelof Nelissen (1931–2019) | Deputy Prime Minister | Finance | | 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Roelof Nelissen (1931–2019) | Minister | Finance | | 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Molly Geertsema (1918–1991) | Deputy Prime Minister | Interior | | 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Molly Geertsema (1918–1991) | Minister | Interior | | 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Norbert Schmelzer (1921–2008) | Minister | Foreign Affairs | | 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Dries van Agt (1931–2024) | Minister | Justice | | 6 July 1971 – 8 September 1977 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Harrie Langman (1931–2016) | Minister | Economic Affairs | | 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Hans de Koster (1914–1992) | Minister | Defence | | 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Dr. Louis Stuyt (1914–2000) | Minister | Health and Environment | | 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Jaap Boersma (1929–2012) | Minister | Social Affairs | | 6 July 1971 – 19 December 1977 | Anti-Revolutionary Party |
| | | Chris van Veen (1922–2009) | Minister | Education and Sciences | | 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | Christian Historical Union |
| | | Chris van Veen (1922–2009) | Minister | Education and Sciences | • Higher Education • Science | 21 July 1972 – 11 May 1973 | Christian Historical Union |
| | | Bé Udink (1926–2016) | Minister | Transport and Water Management | | 21 July 1972 – 11 May 1973 | Christian Historical Union |
| | | Bé Udink (1926–2016) | Minister | Housing and Spatial Planning | | 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | Christian Historical Union |
| | | Pierre Lardinois (1924–1987) | Minister | Agriculture and Fisheries | | 5 April 1967 – 1 January 1973 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Jaap Boersma (1929–2012) | Minister | Agriculture and Fisheries | | 1 January 1973 – 11 May 1973 | Anti-Revolutionary Party |
| | | Piet Engels (1923–1994) | Minister | Culture, Recreation and Social Work | | 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | Catholic People's 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 |
| | | Pierre Lardinois (1924–1987) | Minister | Interior | • Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs | 28 January 1972 – 1 January 1973 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Molly Geertsema (1918–1991) | Minister | Interior | • Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs | 1 January 1973 – 11 May 1973 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Dr. Kees Boertien (1927–2002) | Minister | Foreign Affairs | • Development Cooperation | 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | Anti-Revolutionary Party |
| State Secretaries | State Secretaries | State Secretaries | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Term of office | Party |
| | | Tjerk Westerterp (1930–2023) | State Secretary | Foreign Affairs | • European Union • Benelux | 17 August 1971 – 7 March 1973 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Willem Scholten (1927–2005) | State Secretary | Finance | • Fiscal Policy • Tax and Customs | 14 July 1971 – 19 March 1973 | Christian Historical Union |
| | | Fons van der Stee (1928–1999) | State Secretary | Finance | • Governmental Budget | 14 July 1971 – 12 March 1973 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Hans Grosheide (1930–2022) | State Secretary | Justice | • Immigration and Asylum • Civil Law • Penitentiaries • Youth Justice | 28 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | Anti-Revolutionary Party |
| | | Jan Oostenbrink (born 1936) | State Secretary | Economic Affairs | • Small and Medium-sized Businesses • Consumer Protection • Tourism | 17 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Vice admiral Adri van Es (1913–1994) | State Secretary | Defence | • Human Resources • Equipment | 14 August 1963 – 16 September 1972 | Anti-Revolutionary Party |
| | | Koos Rietkerk (1927–1986) | State Secretary | Social Affairs | • Social Security • Unemployment • Occupational Safety • Social Services | 28 July 1971 – 23 April 1973 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| | | Kees Schelfhout (1918–1983) | State Secretary | Education and Sciences | • Primary Education • Special Education • Preschool | 28 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Dr. Roelof Kruisinga (1922–2012) | State Secretary | Transport and Water Management | • Public Infrastructure • Water Management • Postal Service • Weather Forecasting | 28 July 1971 – 20 March 1973 | Christian Historical Union |
| | | Werner Buck (1925–2010) | State Secretary | Housing and Spatial Planning | • Urban Planning • Spatial Planning | 17 August 1971 – 11 May 1973 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Henk Vonhoff (1931–2010) | State Secretary | Culture, Recreation and Social Work | • Social Services • Disability Policy • Youth Care • Nature • Culture • Art • Recreation • Sport | 28 July 1971 – 23 April 1973 | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| Source: (in Dutch) Rijksoverheid ||||||||
    $^{Resigned}$
    $^{Retainedfromthepreviouscabinet}$
    $^{Continuedinthenextcabinet}$
    $^{Acting}$
    $^{AppointmentEuropeanCommissioner}$