De Jong cabinet

---

title: "De Jong cabinet" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cabinets-of-the-netherlands", "1967-establishments-in-the-netherlands", "1971-disestablishments-in-the-netherlands", "cabinets-established-in-1967", "cabinets-disestablished-in-1971"] description: "Dutch cabinet, 1967 to 1971" topic_path: "geography/netherlands" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Jong_cabinet" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Dutch cabinet, 1967 to 1971 ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox government cabinet"]

Field	Value
cabinet_name	De Jong cabinet
jurisdiction	the Netherlands
flag	Flag of the Netherlands.svg
flag_border	true
image	Kabinet 1967-04-05 - SFA003001469.jpg
image_size	300px
caption	The installation of the De Jong cabinet on 5 April 1967
image2	ZetelsDeJong.svg
image_size2	250px
date_formed
date_dissolved
in office
(Demissionary from )
government_head	Piet de Jong
deputy_government_head	Johan Witteveen
Joop Bakker
state_head	Queen Juliana
members_number	14
former_members_number	1
total_number	15
political_party	Catholic People's Party
(KVP)
[People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy](people-s-party-for-freedom-and-democracy)
(VVD)
Anti-Revolutionary Party
(ARP)
Christian Historical Union
(CHU)
legislature_status	Centre-right
Majority government
election	1967 election
last_election	1971 election
legislature_term	1967–1971
incoming_formation	1967 formation
outgoing_formation	1971 formation
previous	Zijlstra cabinet
successor	First Biesheuvel cabinet
state_head_title	Monarch
government_head_title	Prime Minister
deputy_government_head_title	Deputy Prime Minister
::

| cabinet_name = De Jong cabinet | cabinet_type = | jurisdiction = the Netherlands | flag = Flag of the Netherlands.svg | flag_border = true | incumbent = | image = Kabinet 1967-04-05 - SFA003001469.jpg | image_size = 300px | caption = The installation of the De Jong cabinet on 5 April 1967 | image2 = ZetelsDeJong.svg | image_size2 = 250px | date_formed = | date_dissolved =
in office (Demissionary from ) | government_head = Piet de Jong | government_head_history = | deputy_government_head = Johan Witteveen Joop Bakker | state_head = Queen Juliana | members_number = 14 | former_members_number = 1 | total_number = 15 | political_party = Catholic People's Party (KVP) People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) Christian Historical Union (CHU) | legislature_status = Centre-right Majority government | opposition_party = | opposition_leader = | election = 1967 election | last_election = 1971 election | legislature_term = 1967–1971 | incoming_formation = 1967 formation | outgoing_formation = 1971 formation | previous = Zijlstra cabinet | successor = First Biesheuvel cabinet | state_head_title = Monarch | government_head_title = Prime Minister | deputy_government_head_title = Deputy Prime Minister

The De Jong cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch Government from 5 April 1967 until 6 July 1971. 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 election of 1967. The cabinet was a centre-right coalition and had a substantial majority in the House of Representatives with prominent Catholic politician Piet de Jong the Minister of Defence in the previous cabinet serving as Prime Minister. Prominent Liberal politician Johan Witteveen a former Minister of Finances served as Deputy Prime Minister and returned as Minister of Finance, prominent Protestant politician Joop Bakker the Minister of Economic Affairs in the previous cabinet served as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Transport and Water Management and was given the portfolio of Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs.

The cabinet served in the final years of the tumultuous 1960s and the beginning of the radical 1970s. Domestically it had to deal with the peak of the counterculture but it was able to implement several major social reforms to education, social security, the introduction of value-added taxes and it had to deal with several crises involving Moluccan nationalists. Internationally it oversaw improvements in relations with the former Dutch East Indies, growing protests against the Vietnam War and the fallout of the Soviet Union invasion of Czechoslovakia following the Prague Spring. The cabinet suffered no major internal conflicts and completed its entire term and was succeeded by the First Biesheuvel cabinet following the election of 1971.

Formation

Following the fall of the Cals cabinet on 14 October 1966 the Labour Party (PvdA) left the coalition, subsequently Queen Juliana appointed Senator Jelle Zijlstra (ARP), a former Minister of Finance as Prime Minister to form a rump cabinet with the Catholic People's Party and the Anti-Revolutionary Party. On 22 November 1966 the Zijlstra cabinet was installed and served as a caretaker government until the election of 1967.

After the election on 15 February 1967 the Catholic People's Party was the winner of the election even after losing 8 seats and had now a total of 40 seats in the House of Representatives. Incumbent Prime Minister Jelle Zijlstra was appointed as Informateur by Queen Juliana to start the cabinet formation process. After a first round of talks the Catholic People's Party, People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, Anti-Revolutionary Party and the Christian Historical Union agreed to form a coalition. On 6 March 1967, Queen Juliana appointed Vice-President of the Council of State Louis Beel (KVP), a former Prime Minister as the new Informateur to start the next formation phase.

On 9 March 1967 incumbent Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Barend Biesheuvel, the Leader of the Anti-Revolutionary Party was asked to form a new cabinet and was asked to become Formateur. The negotiations were troubled by objections from the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy about prospect of Barend Biesheuvel as Prime Minister because he served in the previous Centre-left Cals cabinet. On 20 March 1967 after long negotiations between the parties, Barend Biesheuvel failed to form a cabinet. To break the deadlock the Catholic People's Party suggested that incumbent Minister of Defence Piet de Jong (KVP) would be a good candidate to form a new cabinet. Piet de Jong a former Naval officer who served as a World War II submarine commander had a good reputation as a pragmatic minister and was seen as a compromise candidate. On 21 March 1967 Piet de Jong was tasked with forming a new cabinet and was appointed as Formateur. On 4 April 1967 the cabinet formation was completed and the De Jong cabinet was installed the next day.

Term

It was the first Cabinet of the Netherlands after World War II that completed a full term without any internal conflicts. The cabinet was confronted with a demand for democratic reforms in the society and it decided to democratise colleges and universities after the famous maagdenhuisbezetting. Plans were made to modernise politics by establishing an electoral system with districts or a chosen prime minister, but these plans were not implemented. Meanwhile, a pay pause due to the decision of employers and employees to raise wages was partly revoked after anti-government demonstrations and strikes. More unrest took shape in demonstrations against the war in Vietnam. Internationally, relations with Indonesia improved, resulting in a visit by president Suharto, which was, however, overshadowed by the occupation of the Indonesian embassy by Moluccans. The Soviet Union invasion in Czechoslovakia was seen as a reason to increase the defence budget.

Changes

On 7 January 1970, Minister of Economic Affairs Leo de Block (KVP) resigned after disagreeing with the cabinets decision to increase the wages in the metal industry, but another reason was that he had lost the credibility to remain in office after the House of Representatives was highly critical in his handling of the rising inflation after the introduction of the value-added tax (BTW) on 1 January 1969. Minister of Finance Johan Witteveen (VVD) served as acting Minister of Economic Affairs until 14 January 1970 when Member of the House of Representatives Roelof Nelissen (KVP) was appointed as his successor.

Cabinet members

::data[format=table]

Ministers	Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s)	Term of office	Party	Minister without portfolio	Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s)	Term of office	Party	State Secretaries	Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s)	Term of office	Party
Catholic People's Party}};"		[[File:Piet de Jong 1970.jpg	120px	Piet de Jong]]	Captain
Piet de Jong
(1915–2016)	Prime Minister	General Affairs		5 April 1967 –
6 July 1971	[Catholic
People's Party](catholic-people-s-party)
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}};"		[[File:Johan Witteveen 1963.jpg	120px	Johan Witteveen]]	Johan Witteveen
(1921–2019)	[Deputy
Prime Minister](deputy-prime-minister-of-the-netherlands)	Finance		5 April 1967 –
6 July 1971	[People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy](people-s-party-for-freedom-and-democracy)
Minister
Anti Revolutionary Party}};"		[[File:Joop Bakker 1970 (1).jpg	120px	Joop Bakker]]	Joop Bakker
(1921–2003)	[Deputy
Prime Minister](deputy-prime-minister-of-the-netherlands)	[Transport and
Water Management](ministry-of-transport-and-water-management-netherlands)		5 April 1967 –
6 July 197	[Anti-Revolutionary
Party](anti-revolutionary-party)
Minister
Minister	Interior	• [Suriname and
Netherlands
Antilles Affairs](kingdom-of-the-netherlands)
Christian Historical Union}};"		[[File:Henk Beernink 1966 (1).jpg	120px	Henk Beernink]]	Henk Beernink
(1910–1979)	Minister	Interior		5 April 1967 –
6 July 1971	[Christian
Historical Union](christian-historical-union)
Catholic People's Party}};"		[[File:Joseph Luns 1966 (1).jpg	120px	Joseph Luns]]	Joseph Luns
(1911–2002)	Minister	Foreign Affairs		13 October 1956 –
6 July 1971
[Catholic
People's Party](catholic-people-s-party)
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}};"		[[File:Carel Polak 1971 (1).jpg	120px	Carel Polak]]	Carel Polak
(1909–1981)	Minister	Justice		5 April 1967 –
6 July 1971	[People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy](people-s-party-for-freedom-and-democracy)
Catholic People's Party}};"		[[File:Leo de Block 1969 (1).jpg	120px	Leo de Block]]	Leo de Block
(1904–1988)	Minister	Economic Affairs		5 April 1967 –
7 January 1970
[Catholic
People's Party](catholic-people-s-party)
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}};"		[[File:Johan Witteveen 1963.jpg	120px	Johan Witteveen]]	Johan Witteveen
(1921–2019)	7 January 1970 –
14 January 1970
[People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy](people-s-party-for-freedom-and-democracy)
Catholic People's Party}};"		[[File:Roelof Nelissen 1971 (1).jpg	120px	Roelof Nelissen]]	Roelof Nelissen
(1931–2019)	7 January 1970 –
14 January 1970	[Catholic
People's Party](catholic-people-s-party)
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}};"		[[File:Willem den Toom 1971 (1).jpg	120px	Willem den Toom]]	Lieutenant general
Willem den Toom
(1911–1998)	Minister	Defence		5 April 1967 –
6 July 1971	[People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy](people-s-party-for-freedom-and-democracy)
Anti Revolutionary Party}};"		[[File:Bauke Roolvink 1959 (1).jpg	120px	Bauke Roolvink]]	Bauke Roolvink
(1912–1979)	Minister	Social Affairs
and Health		5 April 1967 –
6 July 1971	[Anti-Revolutionary
Party](anti-revolutionary-party)
Catholic People's Party}};"		[[File:Gerard Veringa 1977 (1).jpg	120px	Gerard Veringa]]	Gerard Veringa
(1924–1999)	Minister	[Education and
Sciences](ministry-of-education-culture-and-science-netherlands)		5 April 1967 –
6 July 1971	[Catholic
People's Party](catholic-people-s-party)
Catholic People's Party}};"		[[File:Pierre Lardinois 1974 (1).jpg	120px	Pierre Lardinois]]	Pierre Lardinois
(1924–1987)	Minister	[Agriculture and
Fisheries](ministry-of-agriculture-nature-and-food-quality)		5 April 1967 –
1 January 1973
[Catholic
People's Party](catholic-people-s-party)
Anti Revolutionary Party}};"		[[File:Wim Schut 1968.jpg	120px	Wim Schut]]	Wim Schut
(1920–2006)	Minister	[Housing and
Spatial Planning](ministry-of-housing-spatial-planning-and-the-environment-netherlands)		5 April 1967 –
6 July 1971	[Anti-Revolutionary
Party](anti-revolutionary-party)
Catholic People's Party}};"		[[File:Klompé, dr. Marga A. M. - SFA001011541.jpg	120px	Marga Klompé]]	Marga Klompé
(1912–1986)	Minister	[Culture, Recreation
and Social Work](ministry-of-education-culture-and-science-netherlands)		22 November 1966 –
7 January 1971
[Catholic
People's Party](catholic-people-s-party)
Catholic People's Party}};"		[[File:Gerard Veringa 1977 (1).jpg	120px	Gerard Veringa]]	Gerard Veringa
(1924–1999)	7 January 1971 –
22 February 1971
[Catholic
People's Party](catholic-people-s-party)
Catholic People's Party}};"		[[File:Klompé, dr. Marga A. M. - SFA001011541.jpg	120px	Marga Klompé]]	Marga Klompé
(1912–1986)	22 February 1971 –
6 July 1971	[Catholic
People's Party](catholic-people-s-party)
Christian Historical Union}};"		[[File:Berend Jan Udink 1969 (2).jpg	120px	Bé Udink]]	Bé Udink
(1926–2016)	Minister	Foreign Affairs	• [Development
Cooperation](development-aid)	5 April 1967 –
6 July 1971	[Christian
Historical Union](christian-historical-union)
Christian Historical Union}};"		[[File:Chris van Veen 1972 (1).jpg	120px	Chris van Veen]]	Chris van Veen
(1922–2009)	State Secretary	Interior	• Municipalities
• Provinces
• civil service	10 May 1967 –
6 July 1971	[Christian
Historical Union](christian-historical-union)
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}};"		[[File:Hans de Koster 1975 (1).jpg	120px	Hans de Koster]]	Hans de Koster
(1914–1992)	State Secretary	Foreign Affairs	• European Union
• Benelux
• NATO	12 June 1967 –
6 July 1971	[People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy](people-s-party-for-freedom-and-democracy)
Catholic People's Party}};"		[[File:Grapperhaus, F.H.M. - SFA002019211.jpg	120px	Ferd Grapperhaus I]]	Ferd Grapperhaus I
(1927–2010)	State Secretary	Finance	• Fiscal Policy
• Tax and Customs
• [Governmental
Budget](budget-memorandum-netherlands)	10 May 1967 –
6 July 1971	[Catholic
People's Party](catholic-people-s-party)
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}};"		[[File:Klaas Wiersma (1971).jpg	120px	Klaas Wiersma]]	Klaas Wiersma
(1917–1993)	State Secretary	Justice	• [Immigration
and Asylum](immigration-and-naturalisation-service-netherlands)
• Penitentiaries	20 April 1970 –
6 July 1971	[People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy](people-s-party-for-freedom-and-democracy)
Catholic People's Party}};"		[[File:Louis van Son 1967 (1).jpg	120px	Louis van Son]]	Louis van Son
(1922–1986)	State Secretary	Economic Affairs	• Trade and Export
• [Small and
Medium-sized
Businesses](small-and-medium-sized-enterprises)
• [Regional
Development](regional-development)
• Consumer
Protection
• Tourism	28 November 1966 –
6 July 1971
[Catholic
People's Party](catholic-people-s-party)
Christian Historical Union}};"		[[File:Joop Haex 1963 (1).jpg	120px	Joop Haex]]	Major General
Joop Haex
(1911–2002)	State Secretary	Defence	• Army	18 April 1967 –
6 July 1971	[Christian
Historical Union](christian-historical-union)
Anti Revolutionary Party}};"		[[File:Adri van Es aan boord van Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman.jpg	120px	Adri van Es]]	Vice admiral
Adri van Es
(1913–1994)	• Navy	14 August 1963 –
16 September 1972
[Anti-Revolutionary
Party](anti-revolutionary-party)
Catholic People's Party}};"		[[File:Bob Duynstee 1967 (1).jpg	120px	Bob Duynstee]]	Bob Duynstee
(1920–2014)	• Air Force	28 April 1967 –
6 July 1971	[Catholic
People's Party](catholic-people-s-party)
Christian Historical Union}};"		[[File:Roelof Kruisinga 1977 (1).jpg	120px	Roelof Kruisinga]]	Roelof Kruisinga
(1922–2012)	State Secretary	Social Affairs
and Health	• [Primary
Healthcare](primary-health-care)
• Elderly Care
• Disability Policy
• Medical Ethics	18 April 1967 –
6 July 1971	[Christian
Historical Union](christian-historical-union)
Anti Revolutionary Party}};"		[[File:Hans Grosheide 1963 (1).jpg	120px	Hans Grosheide]]	Hans Grosheide
(1930–2022)	State Secretary	[Education and
Sciences](ministry-of-education-culture-and-science-netherlands)	• [Primary
Education](primary-education)
• [Secondary
Education](secondary-education)
• [Special
Education](special-education)	3 September 1963 –
6 July 1971
[Anti-Revolutionary
Party](anti-revolutionary-party)
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}};"		[[File:Keyzer, M.J. - SFA008007130.jpg	120px	Mike Keyzer]]	Mike Keyzer
(1911–1983)	State Secretary	[Transport and
Water Management](ministry-of-transport-and-water-management-netherlands)	• [Public
Transport](public-transport-in-the-netherlands)
• Aviation
• Rail Transport
• [Water
Management](directorate-general-for-public-works-and-water-management)
• [Weather
Forecasting](royal-netherlands-meteorological-institute)	18 April 1967 –
6 July 1971	[People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy](people-s-party-for-freedom-and-democracy)
Catholic People's Party}};"		[[File:Hein van de Poel (1967).jpg	120px	Hein van de Poel]]	Hein van de Poel
(1915–1993)	State Secretary	[Culture, Recreation
and Social Work](ministry-of-education-culture-and-science-netherlands)	• Unemployment
• Social Services
• Youth Care
• Nature
• Culture
• Art
• Recreation
• Sport	29 May 1967 –
6 July 1971	[Catholic
People's Party](catholic-people-s-party)
::

: : : : : :

Trivia

• Six cabinet members had previous experience as scholars and professors: Johan Witteveen (Financial Economics), Carel Polak (Administrative and Agricultural Law), Gerard Veringa (Criminology and Criminal Law), Ferd Grapperhaus I (Fiscal Law), Klaas Wiersma (Civil Law) and Roelof Kruisinga (Otorhinolaryngology).
• Three cabinet members were flag officers: Willem den Toom (Lieutenant General in the Air Force), Joop Haex (Major General in the Army) and Adri van Es (Vice Admiral in the Navy).
• Eight cabinet members had served during World War II either in the military or the Resistance: Piet de Jong (Navy), Willem den Toom (Air Force), Wim Schut (Resistance), Marga Klompé (Resistance), Hans de Koster (Resistance), Joop Haex (Army), Adri van Es (Navy) and Bob Duynstee (Army).
• Four cabinet members (later) served as Party Leaders and Lijsttrekkers: Henk Beernink (1963–1967), Bé Udink (1970–1971) and Roelof Kruisinga (1971–1977) of the Christian Historical Union and Gerard Veringa (1971) of the Catholic People's Party.
• The age difference between the first Minister of Economic Affairs Leo de Block (born 1904) and his successor Roelof Nelissen (born 1931) was .

References

References

1. {{in lang. nl [http://www.geschiedenis24.nl/nieuws/2005/december/P-J-S-Piet-de-Jong.html P. J. S. (Piet) de Jong 5 April 1967 – 6 juli 1971], Geschiedenis24, 9 December 2005
2. {{in lang. nl [https://archive.today/20120801011743/http://www.groene.nl/2005/43/de-putschisten-zijn-onder-ons De putschisten zijn onder ons], De Groene Amsterdammer, 28 October 2005
3. (28 January 2014). "Het succesvolle kabinet-De Jong 1967–1971". Historiek.
4. (2001). "Van buitengaats naar Binnenhof: P.J.S. de Jong, een biografie". Sdu Uitgevers.
5. {{in lang. nl [http://www.nrc.nl/nieuwsthema/mei68/article1891625.ece/De_oorlog_was_de_oorzaak_van_geduvel_in_68 ‘De oorlog was de oorzaak van geduvel in ’68’], NRC Handelsblad, 10 May 2008

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