The first Biesheuvel cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch Government from 6 July 1971 until 9 August 1972. The cabinet comprised members of three christian-democratic parties – the Catholic People's Party (KVP), the Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and the Christian Historical Union (CHU); a conservative-liberal party – the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD); and a social-democratic party, the Democratic Socialists '70 (DS'70); and was formed after the election of 1971. The cabinet was the core of a centrist coalition that had a slim majority in the House of Representatives, with Leader of the ARP Barend Biesheuvel, a former Minister of Agriculture, serving as Prime Minister. Prominent KVP politician Roelof Nelissen the Minister of Economic Affairs in the previous De Jong cabinet, served as a Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, and was given the portfolio of Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs; former Leader of the VVD Molly Geertsema served as the other Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.

The cabinet served in the early years of the radical 1970s. Domestically it had to deal with the peak of the counterculture and growing inflation, but it was able to implement several social reforms to the public sector and to stimulate deregulation and privatization. The cabinet suffered several major internal conflicts between its DS'70 members and the other members, which led to the fall of the cabinet just one year into its term on 19 July 1972, with the DS'70 members resigning two days later. The cabinet continued in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced on 9 August 1972 by the Second Biesheuvel cabinet in a caretaker role. Mooie Barend. De vergeten premier, Volkskrant, 9 June 2012 De driftbuien van Mooie Barend, Historischnieuwsblad.nl, 6 May 2001 Mr. B. W. (Barend) Biesheuvel 6 juli 1971 – 11 mei 1973, Geschiedenis24.nl, 9 December 2005

Term Problems facing the cabinet were the mooted release of remaining imprisoned Nazi German war criminals (the Breda Three) and increasing inflation, combined with a stagnating economy (stagflation). The decision to cut government expenses was not supported by DS'70, so the cabinet lost its majority in the parliament, eventually resulting in a second Biesheuvel cabinet.

Minister Stuyt, the first minister for environmental affairs, issued an urgency-note concerning the environment. In 1972, the first report from the Club of Rome was published, which showed that the environment is in a bad state worldwide and that resources will eventually run out.

In foreign affairs, the cabinet recognised the German Democratic Republic and voted in favour of the People’s Republic of China replacing the Republic of China at the United Nations.

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 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 Willem Drees Jr. (1922–1998) Minister Transport and Water Management 6 July 1971 – 21 July 1972 Democratic Socialists '70 Bé Udink (1926–2016) 21 July 1972 – 11 May 1973 Christian Historical Union Pierre Lardinois (1924–1987) Minister Agriculture and Fisheries 5 April 1967 – 1 January 1973 Catholic People's Party Bé Udink (1926–2016) Minister Housing and Spatial Planning 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 Christian Historical Union 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 Roelof Nelissen (1931–2019) Minister Interior • Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs 6 July 1971 – 28 January 1972 Catholic People's Party Pierre Lardinois (1924–1987) 28 January 1972 – 1 January 1973 Catholic People's Party Kees Boertien (1927–2002) Minister Foreign Affairs • Development Cooperation 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 Anti-Revolutionary Party Jonkheer Mauk de Brauw (1925–1984) Minister Education and Sciences • Higher Education • Science Policy 6 July 1971 – 21 July 1972 Democratic Socialists '70 Chris van Veen (1922–2009) 21 July 1972 – 11 May 1973 Christian Historical Union State Secretaries Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) Term of office Party Jan van Stuijvenberg (born 1928) State Secretary Interior • Municipalities • civil service 17 July 1971 – 21 July 1972 Democratic Socialists '70 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 • Youth Justice • Penitentiaries 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 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 Roelof Kruisinga (1922–2012) State Secretary Transport and Water Management • Public Infrastructure • Public Transport • Rail Transport • 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 Fia van Veenendaal-van Meggelen (1918–2005) State Secretary Culture, Recreation and Social Work • Social Services • Disability Policy 28 July 1971 – 21 July 1972 Democratic Socialists '70 Henk Vonhoff (1931–2010) • Youth Care • Nature • Culture • Art • Recreation • Sport 28 July 1971 – 23 April 1973 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy

Trivia Six cabinet members (later) served as Party Leaders and Lijsttrekkers: Barend Biesheuvel (1963–1973) of the Anti-Revolutionary Party, Molly Geertsema (1969–1971) of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, Norbert Schmelzer (1963–1971) of the Catholic People's Party, Dries van Agt (1976–1982) of the Christian Democratic Appeal, Willem Drees Jr. (1971–1977) of the Democratic Socialists '70, Bé Udink (1970–1971) and Roelof Kruisinga (1971–1977) of the Christian Historical Union. Five cabinet members had previous experience as scholars and professors: Dries van Agt (Criminal Law and Procedure), Louis Stuyt (Internal Medicine), Willem Drees Jr. (Public Economics), Kees Boertien (Commercial Law) and Roelof Kruisinga (Otorhinolaryngology). Four cabinet members (later) served as Queen's Commissioner: Molly Geertsema (Gelderland), Dries van Agt (North Brabant), Kees Boertien (Zeeland) and Henk Vonhoff (Groningen).

References

External links Kabinet-Biesheuvel I en II Parlement & Politiek Kabinet-Biesheuvel Rijksoverheid