Second Van Agt cabinet

Second Van Agt cabinet

Cabinet of the Netherlands
The installation of the Second Van Agt cabinet on 11 September 1981
Date formed11 September 1981 (1981-09-11)
Date dissolved29 May 1982 (1982-05-29)
260 days in office
(Demissionary from 12 May 1982 (1982-05-12))
People and organisations
MonarchQueen Beatrix
Prime MinisterDries van Agt
Deputy Prime MinisterJoop den Uyl
Jan Terlouw
No. of ministers16
Member partyChristian Democratic Appeal
(CDA)
Labour Party
(PvdA)
Democrats 66
(D'66)
Status in legislatureCentre-left[1]
Majority government
(Grand coalition)
History
Election1981 election
Outgoing election1982 election
Legislature terms1981–1982
Incoming formation1981 formation
Outgoing formation1982 formation
PredecessorFirst Van Agt cabinet
SuccessorThird Van Agt cabinet

The second Van Agt cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch Government from 11 September 1981 until 29 May 1982. The cabinet was formed by the christian-democratic Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), the social-democratic Labour Party (PvdA) and the social-liberal Democrats 66 (D'66) after the election of 1981. The cabinet was a Centre-left[2] grand coalition and had a substantial majority in the House of Representatives with Christian-Democratic Leader Dries van Agt serving as Prime Minister. Former Labour Prime Minister Joop den Uyl the Labour Leader served as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Social Affairs and Employment and was given the portfolio of Netherlands Antilles Affairs, Progressive-Liberal Leader Jan Terlouw served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs.

The cabinet served in the early years of the turbulent 1980s. Domestically it had to deal with the 1980s recession and a growing inflation but it was able to implement a major social reform to social security. The cabinet suffered several major internal conflicts between the cabinet members of the Christian Democratic Appeal and the Labour Party, especially the poor working relationship between Prime Minister Van Agt and Deputy Prime Minister Den Uyl which lead to the fall of the cabinet just 243 days into its term on 12 May 1982 with the Labour Party cabinet members resigning on 29 May 1982 and the cabinet was replaced with the caretaker Third Van Agt cabinet.[3]

  1. ^ Changing Liaisons The Dynamics of Social Partnership in 20th Century West-European DemocraciesBy Karel Davids, 2007, P.165
  2. ^ Changing Liaisons The Dynamics of Social Partnership in 20th Century West-European DemocraciesBy Karel Davids, 2007, P.165
  3. ^ "Kabinet in crisis" (in Dutch). Andere Tijden. 15 September 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2018.