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 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 Minister Molly Geertsema (1918–1991) Deputy Prime Minister Interior 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Minister 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 • Higher Education • Science 21 July 1972 – 11 May 1973 Bé Udink (1926–2016) Minister Transport and Water Management 21 July 1972 – 11 May 1973 Christian Historical Union Minister Housing and Spatial Planning 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 Pierre Lardinois (1924–1987) Minister Agriculture and Fisheries 5 April 1967 – 1 January 1973 Catholic People's Party Jaap Boersma (1929–2012) 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 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) 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 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) • 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 (1936–2025) 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: Rijksoverheid
References
External links Kabinet-Biesheuvel I en II Parlement & Politiek Kabinet-Biesheuvel Rijksoverheid