The Den Uyl shadow cabinet was a shadow cabinet formed by the Labour Party (PvdA), Democrats 66 (D'66) and the Political Party of Radicals (PPR) in preparation for the upcoming election of 1971 on 28 April 1971. The left-wing collaboration was a first time a shadow cabinet was formed in Dutch politics. It was based on the shadow cabinet in the Westminster system of government. Labour Party Member of the House of Representatives Ed van Thijn promised the idea as a basis for a proposed coalition after the election. After the election of 1971 and the formation of the First Biesheuvel cabinet, the shadow cabinet was disbanded 2 July 1971. One year later after the election of 1972 the basis of the shadow cabinet was used as a template for the formation of the Den Uyl cabinet.
Composition Ministers PortraitNameShadow positionPosition in 1971Position in the Den Uyl cabinet after the 1972 electionParty Joop den Uyl (1919–1987) Prime Minister Minister of General Affairs Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Prime Minister Minister of General Affairs Labour Party Hans van Mierlo (1931–2010) Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Constitutional Affairs (within Interior) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives None Democrats 66 Jacques Aarden (1914–1997) Deputy Prime Minister Minister of the Interior Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives None Political Party of Radicals Max van der Stoel (1924–2011) Minister of Foreign Affairs Member of the House of Representatives Minister of Foreign Affairs Labour Party Rob van den Bergh (1913–1997) Minister of Finance Member of the House of Representatives None Labour Party Anneke Goudsmit (born 1933) Minister of Justice Member of the House of Representatives None Democrats 66 Dr. Cees de Galan (1932–1987) Minister of Economic Affairs Economist None Labour Party Jaap Burger (1904–1986) Minister of Defence Member of the Council of State None Labour Party Dr. Wiebe Draijer (1924–2007) Minister of Health and Environment Professor at the University of Twente None Democrats 66 Theo van Lier (1916–1992) Minister of Social Affairs Member of the House of Representatives None Labour Party Dr. Anne Vondeling (1916–1979) Minister of Education and Sciences Member of the House of Representatives None Labour Party Ed van Thijn (1934–2021) Minister of Transport and Water Management Member of the House of Representatives None Labour Party Henk Vredeling (1924–2007) Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Member of the House of Representatives Minister of Defence Labour Party Hans van den Doel (1937–2012) Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning Member of the House of Representatives None Labour Party Dr. Max Rood (1927–2001) Minister of Culture, Recreation and Social Work Professor at the Leiden University None Democrats 66 Dr. Bas de Gaay Fortman (born 1937) Minister for Development Cooperation (within Foreign Affairs) Member of the House of Representatives None Political Party of Radicals
State Secretaries PortraitNameShadow position and portfolioPosition in 1971Position in the Den Uyl cabinet after the election of 1972Party Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (born 1937) State Secretary of Foreign Affairs • European affairs • NATO affairs • Benelux affairs Professor at the University of Groningen State Secretary of Foreign Affairs Democrats 66 Irene Vorrink (1918–1996) State Secretary of Social Affairs • Social security • Occupational safety Member of the Senate Minister of Health and Environment Labour Party Jaap van der Doef (1934–2025) State Secretary of Social Affairs • Social security • Occupational safety Trade union leader None Labour Party Tineke Schilthuis (1921–2013) State Secretary of Transport and Water Management • Transport infrastructure • Water infrastructure • Public transport Member of the House of Representatives None Labour Party Marcel van Dam (born 1938) State Secretary of Culture, Recreation and Social Work • Social services • Welfare Ombudsman State Secretary for Housing and Spatial Planning Labour Party
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