Second Drees cabinet
Dutch cabinet, 1952 to 1956
title: "Second Drees cabinet" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cabinets-of-the-netherlands", "1952-establishments-in-the-netherlands", "1956-disestablishments-in-the-netherlands", "cabinets-established-in-1952", "cabinets-disestablished-in-1956", "grand-coalition-governments", "coalition-governments-in-europe"] description: "Dutch cabinet, 1952 to 1956" topic_path: "geography/netherlands" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Drees_cabinet" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Dutch cabinet, 1952 to 1956 ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox government cabinet"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| cabinet_name | Second Drees cabinet |
| Third Drees cabinet | |
| jurisdiction | the Netherlands |
| flag | Flag of the Netherlands.svg |
| flag_border | true |
| image | Kabinet 1952-09-02 - SFA003001475.jpg |
| image_size | 300px |
| caption | First meeting of the cabinet in the Trêveszaal on 2 September 1952 |
| image2 | ZetelsDreesII.svg |
| image_size2 | 250px |
| date_formed | |
| date_dissolved | |
| in office | |
| (Demissionary from ) | |
| government_head | Willem Drees |
| deputy_government_head | Louis Beel |
| state_head | Queen Juliana |
| members_number | 17 |
| former_members_number | 3 |
| total_number | 16 |
| political_party | Labour Party |
| (PvdA) | |
| Catholic People's Party | |
| (KVP) | |
| Anti-Revolutionary Party | |
| (ARP) | |
| Christian Historical Union | |
| (CHU) | |
| legislature_status | Centre-left |
| Majority government | |
| (Grand coalition/Roman-Red) | |
| election | 1952 election |
| last_election | 1956 election |
| legislature_term | 1952–1956 |
| incoming_formation | 1952 formation |
| outgoing_formation | 1956 formation |
| previous | First Drees cabinet |
| successor | Third Drees cabinet |
| state_head_title | Monarch |
| government_head_title | Prime Minister |
| deputy_government_head_title | Deputy Prime Minister |
| :: |
| cabinet_name = Second Drees cabinet
Third Drees cabinet
| cabinet_type =
| jurisdiction = the Netherlands
| flag = Flag of the Netherlands.svg
| flag_border = true
| incumbent =
| image = Kabinet 1952-09-02 - SFA003001475.jpg
| image_size = 300px
| caption = First meeting of the cabinet in the Trêveszaal on 2 September 1952
| image2 = ZetelsDreesII.svg
| image_size2 = 250px
| date_formed =
| date_dissolved =
in office
(Demissionary from )
| government_head = Willem Drees
| government_head_history =
| deputy_government_head = Louis Beel
| state_head = Queen Juliana
| members_number = 17
| former_members_number = 3
| total_number = 16
| political_party = Labour Party
(PvdA)
Catholic People's Party
(KVP)
Anti-Revolutionary Party
(ARP)
Christian Historical Union
(CHU)
| legislature_status = Centre-left
Majority government
(Grand coalition/Roman-Red)
| opposition_party =
| opposition_leader =
| election = 1952 election
| last_election = 1956 election
| legislature_term = 1952–1956
| incoming_formation = 1952 formation
| outgoing_formation = 1956 formation
| previous = First Drees cabinet
| successor = Third Drees cabinet
| state_head_title = Monarch
| government_head_title = Prime Minister
| deputy_government_head_title = Deputy Prime Minister
The Second Drees cabinet, also called the Third Drees cabinet 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 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 was 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.
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.
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.
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Zuid_Afrikaanse_Pr._dr._Malan_door_Dr._Drees_ontvangen,_Bestanddeelnr_905-7716.jpg" caption="[[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."] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Dr._Drees_ontvangt_Generaal_Gruenther,_Bestanddeelnr_906-0373.jpg" caption="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."] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Maarschalk_Alexandros_Papagos_(links),_premier_van_Griekenland,_ontvangen_door_m,_Bestanddeelnr_091-0891.jpg" caption="Greek Minister for Foreign Affairs]] [[Stefanos Stefanopoulos]] at the [[Ministry of General Affairs]] on 2 February 1954."] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Duitse_minister_van_Buitenlandse_Zaken_Heinrich_von_Brentano_bezoekt_Nederland._,_Bestanddeelnr_077-1136.jpg" caption="West-German Minister for Foreign Affairs]] [[Heinrich von Brentano]] and Prime Minister [[Willem Drees]] at the [[Ministry of General Affairs]] on 8 March 1956."] ::
Cabinet Members
::data[format=table]
| Ministers | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Term of office | Party | Ministers without portfolio | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Term of office | Party | State Secretaries | Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) | Term of office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Netherlands)}};" | [[File:Willem Drees 1958.jpg | 120px | Willem Drees]] | Willem Drees | |||||||
| (1886–1988) | Prime Minister | General Affairs | 7 August 1948 – | ||||||||
| 22 December 1958 | |||||||||||
| Labour Party | |||||||||||
| Catholic People's Party}};" | [[File:Louis Beel 1958.jpg | 120px | Louis Beel]] | Louis Beel | |||||||
| (1902–1977) | [Deputy | ||||||||||
| Prime Minister](deputy-prime-minister-of-the-netherlands) | Interior | 2 September 1952 – | |||||||||
| 7 July 1956 | |||||||||||
| [Catholic | |||||||||||
| People's Party](catholic-people-s-party) | |||||||||||
| Minister | 6 December 1951 – | ||||||||||
| 7 July 1956 | |||||||||||
| Labour Party (Netherlands)}};" | [[File:Oven, Prof. Mr. J. Chr. van - SFA007000348.jpg | 120px | Julius Christiaan van Oven]] | [Julius Christiaan | |||||||
| van Oven](julius-christiaan-van-oven) | |||||||||||
| (1881–1963) | 7 July 1956 – | ||||||||||
| 13 October 1956 | |||||||||||
| Labour Party | |||||||||||
| Independent (politician)}};" | [[File:Johan Beyen 1955 (1).jpg | 120px | Johan Beyen]] | Johan Beyen | |||||||
| (1897–1976) | Minister | Foreign Affairs | 2 September 1952 – | ||||||||
| 13 October 1956 | Independent | ||||||||||
| Labour Party (Netherlands)}};" | [[File:Johan van de Kieft 1955 (1).jpg | 120px | Jo van de Kieft]] | Jo van de Kieft | |||||||
| (1884–1970) | Minister | Finance | 2 September 1952 – | ||||||||
| 13 October 1956 | Labour Party | ||||||||||
| Labour Party (Netherlands)}};" | [[File:Donker, L.A. - SFA002019220.jpg | 120px | Leen Donker]] | Leen Donker | |||||||
| (1899–1956) | Minister | Justice | 2 September 1952 – | ||||||||
| 4 February 1956 | |||||||||||
| Labour Party | |||||||||||
| Catholic People's Party}};" | [[File:Louis Beel 1958.jpg | 120px | Louis Beel]] | Louis Beel | |||||||
| (1902–1977) | 4 February 1956 – | ||||||||||
| 15 February 1956 | |||||||||||
| [Catholic | |||||||||||
| People's Party](catholic-people-s-party) | |||||||||||
| Labour Party (Netherlands)}};" | [[File:Oven, Prof. Mr. J. Chr. van - SFA007000348.jpg | 120px | Julius Christiaan van Oven]] | [Julius Christiaan | |||||||
| van Oven](julius-christiaan-van-oven) | |||||||||||
| (1881–1963) | 15 February 1956 – | ||||||||||
| 13 October 1956 | Labour Party | ||||||||||
| Anti Revolutionary Party}};" | [[File:Jelle Zijlstra 1966 (cropped).jpg | 120px | Jelle Zijlstra]] | Jelle Zijlstra | |||||||
| (1918–2001) | Minister | Economic Affairs | 2 September 1952 – | ||||||||
| 19 May 1959 | |||||||||||
| [Anti-Revolutionary | |||||||||||
| Party](anti-revolutionary-party) | |||||||||||
| Christian Historical Union}};" | [[File:Staf, C. - SFA002019712.jpg | 120px | Kees Staf]] | Kees Staf | |||||||
| (1905–1973) | Minister | War and Navy | 15 March 1951 – | ||||||||
| 19 May 1959 | |||||||||||
| [Christian | |||||||||||
| Historical Union](christian-historical-union) | |||||||||||
| Labour Party (Netherlands)}};" | [[File:Ko Suurhoff (1965).jpg | 120px | Ko Suurhoff]] | Ko Suurhoff | |||||||
| (1905–1967) | Minister | Social Affairs | |||||||||
| and Health | 2 September 1952 – | ||||||||||
| 22 December 1958 | |||||||||||
| Labour Party | |||||||||||
| Catholic People's Party}};" | [[File:Jo Cals 1966.jpg | 120px | Jo Cals]] | Jo Cals | |||||||
| (1914–1971) | Minister | [Education, Arts | |||||||||
| and Sciences](ministry-of-education-culture-and-science-netherlands) | 2 September 1952 – | ||||||||||
| 24 July 1963 | |||||||||||
| [Catholic | |||||||||||
| People's Party](catholic-people-s-party) | |||||||||||
| Anti Revolutionary Party}};" | [[File:Jacob Algera 1958 (1).jpg | 120px | Jacob Algera]] | Jacob Algera | |||||||
| (1902–1966) | Minister | [Transport and | |||||||||
| Water Management](ministry-of-transport-and-water-management-netherlands) | 2 September 1952 – | ||||||||||
| 10 October 1958 | |||||||||||
| [Anti-Revolutionary | |||||||||||
| Party](anti-revolutionary-party) | |||||||||||
| Labour Party (Netherlands)}};" | [[File:Sicco Mansholt 1945 (1).jpg | 120px | Sicco Mansholt]] | Sicco Mansholt | |||||||
| (1908–1995) | Minister | [Agriculture, | |||||||||
| Fisheries and | |||||||||||
| Food Supplies](ministry-of-agriculture-nature-and-food-quality) | 25 June 1945 – | ||||||||||
| 1 January 1958 | |||||||||||
| Labour Party | |||||||||||
| Catholic People's Party}};" | [[File:Herman Witte 1966 (1).jpg | 120px | Herman Witte]] | Herman Witte | |||||||
| (1909–1973) | Minister | [Reconstruction | |||||||||
| and Housing](ministry-of-housing-spatial-planning-and-the-environment-netherlands) | 2 September 1952 – | ||||||||||
| 13 October 1956 | [Catholic | ||||||||||
| People's Party](catholic-people-s-party) | |||||||||||
| Catholic People's Party}};" | [[File:Louis Beel 1958.jpg | 120px | Louis Beel]] | Louis Beel | |||||||
| (1902–1977) | Minister | Social Work | 2 September 1952 – | ||||||||
| 9 September 1952 | |||||||||||
| [Catholic | |||||||||||
| People's Party](catholic-people-s-party) | |||||||||||
| Catholic People's Party}};" | [[File:Frans-Jozef van Thiel 1953 (1).jpg | 120px | Frans-Jozef van Thiel]] | [Frans-Jozef | |||||||
| van Thiel](frans-jozef-van-thiel) | |||||||||||
| (1906–1993) | 9 September 1952 – | ||||||||||
| 13 October 1956 | [Catholic | ||||||||||
| People's Party](catholic-people-s-party) | |||||||||||
| Christian Historical Union}};" | [[File:Willem Kernkamp 1955 (1).jpg | 120px | Willem Kernkamp]] | Willem Kernkamp | |||||||
| (1899–1956) | Minister | Colonial Affairs | 2 September 1952 – | ||||||||
| 18 July 1956 | |||||||||||
| [Christian | |||||||||||
| Historical Union](christian-historical-union) | |||||||||||
| Christian Historical Union}};" | [[File:Staf, C. - SFA002019712.jpg | 120px | Kees Staf]] | Kees Staf | |||||||
| (1905–1973) | 18 July 1956 – | ||||||||||
| 16 February 1957 | |||||||||||
| [Christian | |||||||||||
| Historical Union](christian-historical-union) | |||||||||||
| Catholic People's Party}};" | [[File:Bruijn, Adrianus Cornelis - SFA003004747.jpg | 120px | A. C. de Bruijn]] | A. C. de Bruijn | |||||||
| (1887–1968) | Minister | Interior | • [Public | ||||||||
| Organisations](publiekrechtelijke-bedrijfsorganisatie) | 2 September 1952 – | ||||||||||
| 13 October 1956 | [Catholic | ||||||||||
| People's Party](catholic-people-s-party) | |||||||||||
| Catholic People's Party}};" | [[File:Joseph Luns 1966 (1).jpg | 120px | Joseph Luns]] | Joseph Luns | |||||||
| (1911–2002) | Minister | Foreign Affairs | • United Nations | ||||||||
| • [Netherlands- | |||||||||||
| Indonesian Union](netherlands-indonesian-union) | |||||||||||
| • [Netherlands | |||||||||||
| New Guinea](netherlands-new-guinea) | |||||||||||
| • Benelux | |||||||||||
| • [International | |||||||||||
| Organizations](international-organization) | 2 September 1952 – | ||||||||||
| 13 October 1956 | [Catholic | ||||||||||
| People's Party](catholic-people-s-party) | |||||||||||
| Independent (politician)}};" | [[File:Berge, W.H. van den - SFA008007053.jpg | 120px | Wim van den Berge]] | Wim van den Berge | |||||||
| (1905–1987) | State Secretary | Finance | • Fiscal Policy | ||||||||
| • Tax and Customs | |||||||||||
| • [Governmental | |||||||||||
| Budget](budget-memorandum-netherlands) | 2 February 1953 – | ||||||||||
| 13 October 1956 | Independent | ||||||||||
| Catholic People's Party}};" | [[File:Gerard Veldkamp 1961 (1).jpg | 120px | Gerard Veldkamp]] | Gerard Veldkamp | |||||||
| (1921–1990) | State Secretary | Economic Affairs | • [Small and | ||||||||
| Medium-sized | |||||||||||
| Businesses](small-and-medium-sized-enterprises) | |||||||||||
| • Consumer | |||||||||||
| Protection | |||||||||||
| • Tourism | 10 October 1952 – | ||||||||||
| 17 July 1961 | |||||||||||
| [Catholic | |||||||||||
| People's Party](catholic-people-s-party) | |||||||||||
| Labour Party (Netherlands)}};" | [[File:Ferdinand Jan Kranenburg (1951).jpg | 120px | Ferdinand Kranenburg]] | [Ferdinand | |||||||
| Kranenburg](ferdinand-kranenburg) | |||||||||||
| (1911–1994) | State Secretary | War and Navy | • Army | ||||||||
| • Air Force | 1 June 1951 – | ||||||||||
| 1 June 1958 | |||||||||||
| Labour Party | |||||||||||
| Catholic People's Party}};" | [[File:Moorman, H.C. - SFA008007335.jpg | 120px | Harry Moorman]] | Vice admiral | |||||||
| Harry Moorman | |||||||||||
| (1899–1971) | • Navy | 1 May 1949 – | |||||||||
| 19 May 1959 | |||||||||||
| [Catholic | |||||||||||
| People's Party](catholic-people-s-party) | |||||||||||
| Labour Party (Netherlands)}};" | [[File:Muntendam, prof. - SFA008007339.jpg | 120px | Piet Muntendam]] | Piet Muntendam | |||||||
| (1901–1986) | State Secretary | Social Affairs | |||||||||
| and Health | • [Primary | ||||||||||
| Healthcare](primary-health-care) | |||||||||||
| • Elderly Care | |||||||||||
| • Disability Policy | 1 April 1950 – | ||||||||||
| 1 October 1953 | |||||||||||
| Labour Party | |||||||||||
| Labour Party (Netherlands)}};" | [[File:Aart van Rhijn (1940-1945).jpg | 120px | Aat van Rhijn]] | Aat van Rhijn | |||||||
| (1892–1986) | State Secretary | • Social Security | |||||||||
| • Unemployment | |||||||||||
| • [Occupational | |||||||||||
| Safety](occupational-safety-and-health) | |||||||||||
| • Social Services | 15 February 1950 – | ||||||||||
| 22 December 1958 | |||||||||||
| Labour Party | |||||||||||
| Catholic People's Party}};" | [[File:Anna de Waal 1954 (1).jpg | 120px | Anna de Waal]] | Anna de Waal | |||||||
| (1906–1981) | State Secretary | [Education, Arts | |||||||||
| and Sciences](ministry-of-education-culture-and-science-netherlands) | • [Primary | ||||||||||
| Education](primary-education) | |||||||||||
| • [Secondary | |||||||||||
| Education](secondary-education) | |||||||||||
| • [Special | |||||||||||
| Education](special-education) | |||||||||||
| • Youth Care | 2 February 1953 – | ||||||||||
| 16 March 1957 | |||||||||||
| [Catholic | |||||||||||
| People's Party](catholic-people-s-party) | |||||||||||
| :: |
: : : : : : :
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 .
- Had both the oldest and youngest cabinet members in Dutch History when they took office: Julius Christiaan van Oven was years old and Gerard Veldkamp was years old.
- Anna de Waal was the first female cabinet member in Dutch History.
References
References
- Changing Liaisons The Dynamics of Social Partnership in 20th Century West-European DemocraciesBy Karel Davids, 2007, P.165
- According to a different numbering this was the Fourth Drees cabinet because it was the third cabinet with Willem Drees as Prime Minister.
- Changing Liaisons The Dynamics of Social Partnership in 20th Century West-European DemocraciesBy Karel Davids, 2007, P.165
- (10 August 2006). "Coalities tussen sociaaldemocraten en confessionelen". Historisch Nieuwsblad.
- "Mr. N.S.C. (Corry) Tendeloo".
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