The Marijnen cabinet was the cabinet of the Netherlands from 24 July 1963 until 14 April 1965. The cabinet was a continuation of the previous De Quay cabinet and 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 election of 1963. The cabinet was a centre-right coalition and had a substantial majority in the House of Representatives with prominent Catholic politician Victor Marijnen the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries in the previous cabinet serving as Prime Minister. Protestant Leader Barend Biesheuvel served as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and was given the portfolio of Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs.
The cabinet served in the middle of the tumultuous 1960s, domestically it had to deal with the counterculture and economic changes following the discovery of the Groningen gas field and it had to deal with the fallout of the marriage between Princess Irene and Carlist Carlos Hugo of Bourbon-Parma and it was able to implement several major social reforms to health insurance and the public broadcasting system, internationally the disbandment of the Netherlands New Guinea was finalized. The cabinet suffered several major internal conflicts, and fell just 19 months into its term on 27 February 1965 following a conflict over the implantation of Commercial Broadcasting and continued in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced with the Cals cabinet.
Term The natural gas reserves, recently found in Slochteren were a considerable boost for the economy. This, combined with labour shortage led to a rise in wages and the attraction of foreign workers. Despite this being the second cabinet without socialist Labour Party, the building up of a welfare state, that was started after World War II, continued with the introduction of minimum wages in 1964 and the national health service.
In 1965, measures were taken against commercial television stations transmitting from the North Sea. The cabinet finally fell over the issue if commercial TV should be allowed in the Netherlands.
Cabinet members Ministers Position Term of office Party Victor Marijnen (1917–1975) Prime Minister Minister of General Affairs 24 July 1963 – 14 April 1965 Catholic People's Party Barend Biesheuvel (1920–2001) Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Minister for Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs 24 July 1963 – 5 April 1967 Anti-Revolutionary Party Edzo Toxopeus (1918–2009) Minister of the Interior 19 May 1959 – 14 April 1965 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Joseph Luns (1911–2002) Minister of Foreign Affairs 13 October 1956 – 6 July 1971 Catholic People's Party Johan Witteveen (1921–2019) Minister of Finance 24 July 1963 – 14 April 1965 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Ynso Scholten (1918–1984) Minister of Justice 24 July 1963 – 14 April 1965 Christian Historical Union Koos Andriessen (1928–2019) Minister of Economic Affairs 24 July 1963 – 14 April 1965 Christian Historical Union Piet de Jong (1915–2016) Minister of Defence 24 July 1963 – 5 April 1967 Catholic People's Party Gerard Veldkamp (1921–1990) Minister of Social Affairs and Health 17 July 1961 – 5 April 1967 Catholic People's Party Theo Bot (1911–1984) Minister of Education, Arts and Sciences 24 July 1963 – 14 April 1965 Catholic People's Party Jan van Aartsen (1909–1992) Minister of Transport and Water Management 24 July 1963 – 14 April 1965 Anti-Revolutionary Party Pieter Bogaers (1924–2008) Minister of Housing and Construction 24 July 1963 – 14 April 1965 Catholic People's Party Jo Schouwenaar-Franssen (1909–1995) Minister of Social Work 24 July 1963 – 14 April 1965 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy State Secretaries Position Term of office Party Leo de Block (1904–1988) State Secretary of Foreign Affairs • European Union • Benelux 3 September 1963 – 5 April 1967 Catholic People's Party Isaäc Nicolaas Diepenhorst (1907–1976) State Secretary of Foreign Affairs • Development Cooperation • United Nations • International Organizations 28 September 1963 – 14 April 1965 Christian Historical Union Wim van den Berge (1905–1987) State Secretary of Finance • Fiscal Policy • Tax and Customs • Government Budget 27 May 1959 – 14 April 1965 Independent Joop Bakker (1921–2003) State Secretary of Economic Affairs • Small and Medium-sized Businesses • Regional Development 3 September 1963 – 22 November 1966 Anti-Revolutionary Party Joop Haex (1911–2002) State Secretary of Defence • Army 14 August 1963 – 14 April 1965 Christian Historical Union Adri van Es (1913–1994) State Secretary of Defence • Navy 14 August 1963 – 16 September 1972 Anti-Revolutionary Party Willem den Toom (1911–1998) State Secretary of Defence • Air Force 25 November 1963 – 14 April 1965 Catholic People's Party Louis Bartels (1915–2002) State Secretary of Social Affairs and Health • Primary Healthcare • Elderly Care • Disability Policy • Medical Ethics 3 September 1963 – 5 April 1967 Catholic People's Party José de Meijer (1915–2000) State Secretary of Social Affairs and Health • Occupational Safety • Public Organisations 15 November 1963 – 5 April 1967 Catholic People's Party Hans Grosheide (1930–2022) State Secretary of Education and Sciences • Primary Education • Secondary Education • Special Education 3 September 1963 – 6 July 1971 Anti-Revolutionary Party Louis van de Laar (1921–2004) State Secretary of Education and Sciences • Social Services • Youth Care • Media • Culture • Art • Recreation • Sport 24 October 1963 – 14 April 1965 Catholic People's Party Mike Keyzer (1911–1983) State Secretary of Transport and Water Management • Public Transport • Aviation • Rail Transport • Weather Forecasting 22 October 1963 – 14 April 1965 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Trivia The age difference between oldest cabinet member Leo de Block (born 1904) and the youngest cabinet member Hans Grosheide (born 1930) was . Five cabinet members had previous experience as scholars and professors: Johan Witteveen (Financial Economics), Koos Andriessen (Political Economics), Gerard Veldkamp (Microeconomics), Willem Hendrik van den Berge (Public Economics) and Louis Bartels (Health Economics). The three cabinet State Secretaries for Defence where all flag officers: Joop Haex (Major General in the Army), Adri van Es (Rear Admiral in the Navy) and Willem den Toom (Major General in the Air Force). Ten cabinet member would later serve in the De Jong cabinet: Joseph Luns (Foreign Affairs), Johan Witteveen (Finance), Piet de Jong (Prime Minister), Leo de Block (Economic Affairs), Joop Bakker (Deputy Prime Minister), Joop Haex (Army), Adri van Es (Navy), Willem den Toom (Defence), Hans Grosheide (Education) and Mike Keyzer (Transport and Water Management). Koos Andriessen again served as Minister of Economic Affairs later in the Third Lubbers cabinet.
References
External links Kabinet-Marijnen Parlement & Politiek Kabinet-Marijnen Rijksoverheid