Third Lubbers cabinet


The Third Lubbers cabinet, also called the Lubbers–Kok cabinet was the cabinet of the Netherlands from 7 November 1989 to 22 August 1994. The cabinet was formed by the political parties Christian Democratic Appeal and Labour Party after the election of 1989. The centre grand coalition cabinet was a majority government in the House of Representatives. It was the last of three cabinets of Ruud Lubbers, the Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal as Prime Minister, with Wim Kok the Leader of the Labour Party serving as Deputy Prime Minister.

Term

The cabinet was formed with a view to social reform. This was impossible because of the then bad shape of the Dutch economy, which made large reductions in government spending necessary. The reduction of the social care for disabled people led to the demonstrations against the Dutch government in 1992. Many angry socialists left the Labour Party. The coalition lost heavily during the elections of 1994.

Changes

On 18 September 1990 Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries Gerrit Braks resigned after the Labour Party in the House of Representatives indicated that they had lost confidence in his ability to remain in office after strongly disagreeing in his animal welfare and fraud policy. Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Bert de Vries served as acting Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries until 28 September 1990 when State Secretary for Economic Affairs Piet Bukman was appointed as Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries. That same day Member of the House of Representatives Yvonne van Rooy, the former State Secretary for Economic Affairs was installed as his successor as State Secretary for Economic Affairs. That same day the function of State Secretary of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries was re-implemented, Mayor of Haaksbergen Dzsingisz Gabor was sworn in and assigned the portfolios of environmental policy, nature policy and agricultural management.
On 3 January 1993 Minister for Foreign Affairs Hans van den Broek resigned after he was appointed as European Commissioner for External Relations and Enlargement. That same day Pieter Kooijmans, a former State Secretary for Foreign Affairs who until then had been working as a professor of International law at the Leiden University was appointed as his successor.
On 1 June 1993 State Secretary for Defence Berend-Jan van Voorst tot Voorst resigned after he was appointed as Queen's Commissioner of Limburg. That same day Member of the House of Representatives Ton Frinking succeed him.
On 5 June 1993 State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment Elske ter Veld resigned after gaining insufficient support from her own Labour Party in the House of Representatives for a new widow's pension act. On 9 June 1993 State Secretary for Education and Sciences Jacques Wallage was appointed as her successor. That same day Roel in 't Veld, who until then had been working as a professor of Public administration at the Erasmus University Rotterdam was installed as his successor as State Secretary for Education and Sciences. On 19 June 1993 just 10 days after taking office Roel in 't Veld resigned after he was discredited due to additional positions he held when he was a professor. On 2 July 1993 Job Cohen, who until then had been working as rector magnificus of the State University of Limburg and as a professor of Jurisprudence was appointed as his successor.
On 10 January 1994 Minister of the Interior Ien Dales unexpectedly died from a heart Attack at the age of 62. Minister of Justice Ernst Hirsch Ballin served as acting Minister of the Interior until 18 January 1994 when Mayor of Amsterdam Ed van Thijn was installed as her successor.
On 26 February 1994 State Secretary for Welfare, Health and Culture Hans Simons resigned after he was appointed as a alderman in Rotterdam, because the cabinet was already nearing the end of its term he was not replaced.
On 27 May 1994 Minister of the Interior Ed van Thijn and Minister of Justice Ernst Hirsch Ballin resigned
over illegal interrogation techniques used by the police. They were succeeded by their State Secretaries, Dieuwke de Graaff-Nauta became Minister of the Interior and Aad Kosto became Minister of Justice.
Due to the installment of a new European Parliament, several members resigned their functions to become members of this new parliament on 16 July 1994 and because the cabinet was already demissionary their portfolios were assigned to other ministers. The portfolio of Minister of Transport and Water Management was added to Minister of Economic Affairs Koos Andriessen, The portfolio of Minister of Welfare, Health and Culture was added to Minister of for Education and Sciences Jo Ritzen.

Cabinet Members