Second Drees cabinet
Third Drees cabinet

45th Cabinet of the Netherlands
First meeting of the cabinet in the Trêveszaal on 2 September 1952
Date formed2 September 1952 (1952-09-02)
Date dissolved13 October 1956 (1956-10-13)
4 years, 41 days in office
(Demissionary from 13 June 1956 (1956-06-13))
People and organisations
MonarchQueen Juliana
Prime MinisterWillem Drees
Deputy Prime MinisterLouis Beel
No. of ministers17
Ministers removed3
Total no. of members16
Member partyLabour Party
(PvdA)
Catholic People's Party
(KVP)
Anti-Revolutionary Party
(ARP)
Christian Historical Union
(CHU)
Status in legislatureCentre-left[1]
Majority government
(Grand coalition/Roman-Red)
History
Election(s)1952 election
Outgoing election1956 election
Legislature term(s)1952–1956
Incoming formation1952 formation
Outgoing formation1956 formation
PredecessorFirst Drees cabinet
SuccessorThird Drees cabinet

The Second Drees cabinet, also called the Third Drees cabinet[2] was the executive branch of the Dutch Government from 2 September 1952 until 13 October 1956. The cabinet was formed by the social-democratic Labour Party (PvdA) and the christian-democratic Catholic People's Party (KVP), Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and Christian Historical Union (CHU) after the election of 1952. The cabinet was a Centre-left[3] grand coalition and had a majority in the House of Representatives with Labour Leader Willem Drees serving as Prime Minister. Former Catholic Prime Minister Louis Beel served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.

The cabinet served during early years of the turbulent 1950s. Domestically the recovery and rebuilding following World War II continued with the assistance of the Marshall Plan, it also able to finalize several major social reforms to social security, welfare, child benefits and education from the previous cabinet. Internationally the decolonization of the Dutch East Indies following the Indonesian National Revolution continued. The cabinet suffered no major internal and external conflicts and completed its entire term and was succeeded by the Third Drees cabinet following the election of 1956.[4]

Term

The economic recovery after World War II continued. This made further expansion of social security possible, of which the best example is the institution of the state pension AOW in 1956. Also, a major housing scheme was executed, building 80 000 houses per year.

A major setback was the North Sea flood of 1953, which resulted in damage equivalent to 5% of the GDP. An emergency law was made to recover the dykes and plans were made for the Delta Works, the world's largest flood protection project, which should protect the South West Netherlands against another such combination of storm and spring tide.

An episcopal 'mandement' called for Catholics to give up their PvdA-membership, but without result.

The 29 December 1952 Statute for the kingdom granted Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles a certain degree of independence within the kingdom.

In 1955 the labour ban on married women was abolished, following the "motion Tendeloo", named after PvdA's member of parliament Corry Tendeloo. This ban meant that state employers had to fire their female employees once they married.[5]

On 15 February 1956 the Dutch-Indonesian Union officially ended. Relationships between the two countries continued to deteriorate.

When the PvdA voted with the opposition over a combined law to lower taxes and raise rents on 17 May 1955, this led to a crisis. The cabinet fell, but returned after 17 days when PvdA chairman Burger had reconciled the parties.

Prime Minister of South Africa D. F. Malan, Prime Minister Willem Drees and Minister of Colonial Affairs Willem Kernkamp at the Ministry of General Affairs on 9 June 1953.
Prime Minister Willem Drees, Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alfred Gruenther and Minister of Defence Kees Staf at the Ministry of General Affairs on 15 October 1953.

Cabinet Members

Ministers Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) Term of office Party
Willem Drees Willem Drees
(1886–1988)
Prime Minister General Affairs 7 August 1948 –
22 December 1958
[Retained] [Continued]
Labour Party
Louis Beel Dr.
Louis Beel
(1902–1977)
Deputy
Prime Minister
Interior 2 September 1952 –
7 July 1956
[App]
Catholic
People's Party
Minister 6 December 1951 –
7 July 1956
[Retained] [App]
Julius Christiaan van Oven Dr.
Julius Christiaan
van Oven

(1881–1963)
7 July 1956 –
13 October 1956
[Acting]
Labour Party
Johan Beyen Johan Beyen
(1897–1976)
Minister Foreign Affairs 2 September 1952 –
13 October 1956
Independent
Conservative Liberal
Jo van de Kieft Jo van de Kieft
(1884–1970)
Minister Finance 2 September 1952 –
13 October 1956
Labour Party
Leendert Antonie Donker Leendert
Antonie Donker

(1899–1956)
Minister Justice 2 September 1952 –
4 February 1956
[Died]
Labour Party
Louis Beel Dr.
Louis Beel
(1902–1977)
4 February 1956 –
15 February 1956
[Ad Interim]
Catholic
People's Party
Julius Christiaan van Oven Dr.
Julius Christiaan
van Oven

(1881–1963)
15 February 1956 –
13 October 1956
Labour Party
Jelle Zijlstra Dr.
Jelle Zijlstra
(1918–2001)
Minister Economic Affairs 2 September 1952 –
19 May 1959
[Continued]
Anti-Revolutionary
Party
Kees Staf Kees Staf
(1905–1973)
Minister War and Navy 15 March 1951 –
19 May 1959
[Retained] [Continued]
Christian
Historical Union
Ko Suurhoff Ko Suurhoff
(1905–1967)
Minister Social Affairs
and Health
2 September 1952 –
22 December 1958
[Continued]
Labour Party
Jo Cals Jo Cals
(1914–1971)
Minister Education, Arts
and Sciences
2 September 1952 –
24 July 1963
[Continued]
Catholic
People's Party
Jacob Algera Jacob Algera
(1902–1966)
Minister Transport and
Water Management
2 September 1952 –
10 October 1958
[Continued]
Anti-Revolutionary
Party
Sicco Mansholt Sicco Mansholt
(1908–1995)
Minister Agriculture,
Fisheries and
Food Supplies
25 June 1945 –
1 January 1958
[Retained] [Continued]
Labour Party
Herman Witte Herman Witte
(1909–1973)
Minister Reconstruction
and Housing
2 September 1952 –
13 October 1956
Catholic
People's Party
Louis Beel Dr.
Louis Beel
(1902–1977)
Minister Social Work 2 September 1952 –
9 September 1952
[Ad Interim]
Catholic
People's Party
Frans-Jozef van Thiel Frans-Jozef
van Thiel

(1906–1993)
9 September 1952 –
13 October 1956
Catholic
People's Party
Willem Kernkamp Dr.
Willem Kernkamp
(1899–1956)
Minister Colonial Affairs 2 September 1952 –
18 July 1956
[Died]
Christian
Historical Union
Kees Staf Kees Staf
(1905–1973)
18 July 1956 –
16 February 1957
[Acting] [Continued]
Christian
Historical Union
Ministers without portfolio Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) Term of office Party
Ad de Bruijn Ad de Bruijn
(1887–1968)
Minister Interior Public
Organisations
2 September 1952 –
13 October 1956
Catholic
People's Party
Joseph Luns Joseph Luns
(1911–2002)
Minister Foreign Affairs United Nations
Netherlands-
Indonesian Union

Netherlands
New Guinea

Benelux
International
Organizations
2 September 1952 –
13 October 1956
Catholic
People's Party
State Secretaries Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) Term of office Party
Willem Hendrik van den Berge Dr.
Willem Hendrik
van den Berge
(1905–1987)
State Secretary Finance Fiscal Policy
Tax and Customs
Governmental
Budget
2 February 1953 –
13 October 1956
Independent
Social Democrat
Gerard Veldkamp Dr.
Gerard Veldkamp
(1921–1990)
State Secretary Economic Affairs Small and
Medium-sized
Businesses

• Consumer
Protection
Tourism
10 October 1952 –
17 July 1961
[Continued]
Catholic
People's Party
Ferdinand Kranenburg Ferdinand
Kranenburg
(1911–1994)
State Secretary War and Navy Army
Air Force
1 June 1951 –
1 June 1958
[Retained] [Continued]
Labour Party
Harry Moorman Vice admiral
Harry Moorman
(1899–1971)
Navy 1 May 1949 –
19 May 1959
[Retained] [Continued]
Catholic
People's Party
Piet Muntendam Dr.
Piet Muntendam
(1901–1986)
State Secretary Social Affairs
and Health
Primary
Healthcare

Elderly Care
Disability Policy
1 April 1950 –
1 October 1953
[Retained] [Res]
Labour Party
Aat van Rhijn Dr.
Aat van Rhijn
(1892–1986)
State Secretary • Social Security
• Unemployment
Occupational
Safety

• Social Services
15 February 1950 –
22 December 1958
[Retained] [Continued]
Labour Party
Anna de Waal Dr.
Anna de Waal
(1906–1981)
State Secretary Education, Arts
and Sciences
Primary
Education

Secondary
Education

Special
Education

Youth Care
2 February 1953 –
16 March 1957
[Continued]
Catholic
People's Party
Resigned
Retained from the previous cabinet
Continued in the next cabinet
Acting
Ad Interim
Died in Office
Appointed as Chairman of the Special State Commission

Trivia

  • Nine cabinet members had previous experience as scholars and professors: Louis Beel (Administrative Law), Julius Christiaan van Oven (Roman Law), Jelle Zijlstra (Public Economics), Willem Kernkamp (Constitutional and Administrative Law and Arabic Literature), Willem Hendrik van den Berge (Public Economics), Gerard Veldkamp (Microeconomics), Piet Muntendam (Social Medicine), Aat van Rhijn (Fiscal Law) and Anna de Waal (Geography).
  • Four cabinet members (later) served as Prime Minister: Willem Drees (1948–1958), Louis Beel (1946–1948) (1958–1959), Jelle Zijlstra (1966–1967) and Jo Cals (1965–1966).
  • Four cabinet members would later be granted the honorary title of Minister of State: Willem Drees (1958), Louis Beel (1956), Jelle Zijlstra (1983) and Jo Cals (1966).
  • Two cabinet members Johan Beyen and Sicco Mansholt are considered Founding fathers of the European Union.
  • The age difference between oldest cabinet member Julius Christiaan van Oven (born 1881) and the youngest cabinet member Gerard Veldkamp (born 1921) was 39 years, 222 days.
  • Had both the oldest and youngest cabinet members in Dutch History when they took office: Julius Christiaan van Oven was 74 years, 90 days years old and Gerard Veldkamp was 31 years, 105 days years old.
  • Anna de Waal was the first female cabinet member in Dutch History.

References

  1. Changing Liaisons The Dynamics of Social Partnership in 20th Century West-European DemocraciesBy Karel Davids, 2007, P.165
  2. According to a different numbering this was the Fourth Drees cabinet because it was the third cabinet with Willem Drees as Prime Minister.
  3. Changing Liaisons The Dynamics of Social Partnership in 20th Century West-European DemocraciesBy Karel Davids, 2007, P.165
  4. "Coalities tussen sociaaldemocraten en confessionelen" (in Dutch). Historisch Nieuwsblad. 10 August 2006. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  5. "Mr. N.S.C. (Corry) Tendeloo". Parlement.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 September 2021.
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