# Den Uyl cabinet

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 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.
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.

## Formation

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

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.
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.

### Changes

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.

## Cabinet members

| Ministers | Ministers | Ministers | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | 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 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Dries van Agt (1931–2024) | Minister | Justice | | 6 July 1971 – 8 September 1977 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Dr. Gaius de Gaay Fortman (1911–1997) | Deputy Prime Minister | Justice | | 8 September 1977 – 19 December 1977 | Anti-Revolutionary Party |
| | | Dr. Gaius de Gaay Fortman (1911–1997) | Minister | Justice | | 8 September 1977 – 19 December 1977 | Anti-Revolutionary Party |
| | | Dr. Gaius de Gaay Fortman (1911–1997) | Minister | Interior | | 11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977 | Anti-Revolutionary Party |
| | | Dr. Gaius de Gaay Fortman (1911–1997) | Minister | Interior | • Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs | 11 May 1973 – 25 November 1975 | Anti-Revolutionary Party |
| | | Dr. Gaius de Gaay Fortman (1911–1997) | Minister | Interior | • Netherlands Antilles Affairs | 25 November 1975 – 19 December 1977 | Anti-Revolutionary Party |
| | | 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 | Labour Party |
| | | Captain Bram Stemerdink (born 1936) | Minister | Defence | | 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 | 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 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Fons van der Stee (1928–1999) | Minister | Agriculture and Fisheries | | 1 November 1973 – 5 March 1980 | 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 | Ministers without portfolio | Ministers without portfolio | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | 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 | State Secretaries | State Secretaries | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Term of office | Party |
| | | Wim Polak (1924–1999) | State Secretary | Interior | • Municipalities • Civil Service | 11 May 1973 – 1 May 1977 | Labour Party |
| | | Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (born 1937) | State Secretary | Foreign Affairs | • European Union • Benelux • NATO | 11 May 1973 – 8 September 1977 | Democrats 66 |
| | | Dr. Pieter Kooijmans (1933–2013) | State Secretary | Foreign Affairs | • 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 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Martin van Rooijen (born 1942) | State Secretary | Finance | • Fiscal Policy • Tax and Customs | 21 December 1973 – 14 October 1977 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Aar de Goede (1928–2016) | State Secretary | Finance | • 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 | Democrats 66 |
| | | Henk Zeevalking (1922–2005) | State Secretary | Justice | • Immigration and Asylum • Civil Law • Judicial Reform • Youth Justice | 6 June 1975 – 8 September 1977 | 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 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Joep Mommersteeg (1917–1991) | State Secretary | Defence | • Human Resources | 11 May 1973 – 1 March 1974 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Brigadier general Cees van Lent (1922–2000) | State Secretary | Defence | • Human Resources | 11 March 1974 – 11 September 1981 | Catholic People's Party |
| | | Captain Bram Stemerdink (born 1936) | State Secretary | Defence | • Equipment • Justice | 11 May 1973 – 1 January 1977 | 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 | Labour Party |
| | | Dr. Antoon Veerman (1916–1993) | State Secretary | Education and Sciences | • Secondary Education • Special Education | 11 May 1973 – 1 September 1975 | Anti-Revolutionary Party |
| | | Klaas de Jong (1926–2011) | State Secretary | Education and Sciences | • Secondary Education • Special Education | 1 September 1975 – 11 September 1981 | 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 | Labour Party |
| | | Marcel van Dam (born 1938) | State Secretary | Housing and Spatial Planning | • Public Housing | 11 May 1973 – 8 September 1977 | 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 | Labour Party |
| Source: (in Dutch) Rijksoverheid ||||||||
    $^{Resigned}$
    $^{Retainedfromthepreviouscabinet}$
    $^{Continuedinthenextcabinet}$
    $^{AppointedasEuropeanCommissioner}$
    $^{AppointedasMayorofAmsterdam}$
    $^{AppointedasMinisterofAgricultureandFisheries}$
    $^{AppointedasMinisterofDefence}$