List of cabinets of the Netherlands facts for kids

The Netherlands is a country in Europe, and like many countries, it has a government that helps run things. This government is often called a cabinet. Think of the cabinet as a team of important people, led by the Prime Minister, who work together to make decisions for the country. They are responsible for different areas like education, healthcare, and the economy.

This article will help you understand how these cabinets work in the Netherlands and give you a peek into some of the cabinets that have governed the country since 1877.

What is a Cabinet?

A cabinet is the main group of ministers in a government. In the Netherlands, the cabinet includes the Prime Minister and all the other ministers. Each minister is in charge of a specific department, like the Minister of Finance or the Minister of Education. Together, they propose new laws and manage the country's daily affairs.

How Cabinets are Formed

After a national election, political parties try to work together to form a new cabinet. This process can take a while because different parties need to agree on what they want to achieve and who will be in charge. When enough parties agree, they form a coalition government. This means they join forces to have enough support in the parliament to pass laws.

Different Types of Cabinets

Not all cabinets are the same. Here are a few types you might hear about:

• Majority government: This is when the parties forming the cabinet have more than half of the seats in parliament. This makes it easier for them to pass laws.
• Minority government: Sometimes, the parties forming the cabinet don't have more than half the seats. They need support from other parties in parliament to get things done.
• Grand coalition: This happens when two or more of the largest political parties decide to work together.
• Caretaker government: If a cabinet resigns or after an election, the old cabinet might stay on for a short time to handle urgent matters until a new cabinet is formed. They "take care" of the country.
• Confidence and supply: In this type, smaller parties agree to support the government on important votes (like budgets) but don't officially join the cabinet.

A Look at Dutch Cabinets Over Time

Since 1877, the Netherlands has seen many different cabinets, each with its own Prime Minister and mix of political parties. These changes reflect how the country's politics and society have evolved.

For example, in the early years, many cabinets were led by Liberal or Christian Democratic parties. Over time, other parties, like the Social Democrats, became more important.

During difficult times, like World War II, the Netherlands had war cabinets that operated from London. These cabinets focused on guiding the country through the crisis.

In recent times, cabinets often involve a mix of parties from different political directions, like the "Purple" cabinets (1994-2002) which included Social Democratic and Conservative Liberal parties.

Notable Prime Ministers

Many individuals have served as Prime Minister, leading these cabinets. Some have served for a long time, like Hendrikus Colijn in the 1930s, who led five different cabinets, or Willem Drees in the 1950s, who led four. More recently, Mark Rutte has been Prime Minister for many years, leading several cabinets since 2010. Each Prime Minister and their cabinet faced different challenges and made decisions that shaped the Netherlands.

What Happens When a Cabinet Changes?

When a cabinet changes, it can be because of a new election, or because the parties in the cabinet no longer agree on important issues. When a cabinet resigns, the Prime Minister usually offers the resignation to the King. Then, a process starts to form a new cabinet, which can sometimes take many months. During this time, the old cabinet often continues as a caretaker government.

List of Cabinets (Simplified)

Instead of a very long table, here's a simplified overview of some key cabinets and their Prime Ministers since 1877, showing how different parties have worked together:

• Kappeyne van de Coppello cabinet (1877–1879): Led by Jan Kappeyne van de Coppello, this was a Liberal cabinet.
• Mackay cabinet (1888–1891): Led by Aeneas Mackay Jr., this was a Christian Democratic cabinet.
• Pierson cabinet (1897–1901): Led by Nicolaas Pierson, another Liberal cabinet.
• Kuyper cabinet (1901–1905): Led by Abraham Kuyper, a Christian Democratic cabinet.
• Ruijs de Beerenbrouck cabinets (1918–1925, 1929–1933): Led by Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck, these were Christian Democratic cabinets.
• Colijn cabinets (1925–1926, 1933–1939): Led by Hendrikus Colijn, these cabinets often included Christian Democratic and Liberal parties.
• Gerbrandy cabinets (1940–1945): Led by Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy during World War II, these were national unity governments.
• Schermerhorn–Drees cabinet (1945–1946): After the war, led by Willem Schermerhorn and Willem Drees, this cabinet brought together Christian Democratic and Social Democratic parties.
• Drees cabinets (1948–1958): Led by Willem Drees, these were often "grand coalitions" of Christian Democratic and Social Democratic parties.
• De Quay cabinet (1959–1963): Led by Jan de Quay, a Christian Democratic and Conservative Liberal cabinet.
• De Jong cabinet (1967–1971): Led by Piet de Jong, another Christian Democratic and Conservative Liberal cabinet.
• Den Uyl cabinet (1973–1977): Led by Joop den Uyl, this was a broad cabinet including Social Democrats, Christian Democrats, and Liberals.
• Van Agt cabinets (1977–1982): Led by Dries van Agt, these cabinets often combined Christian Democratic and Conservative Liberal parties.
• Lubbers cabinets (1982–1994): Led by Ruud Lubbers, these included Christian Democratic and Conservative Liberal parties, and later a grand coalition with Social Democrats.
• Kok cabinets (1994–2002): Led by Wim Kok, these were "Purple" cabinets, combining Social Democrats, Conservative Liberals, and Social Liberals.
• Balkenende cabinets (2002–2010): Led by Jan Peter Balkenende, these were mostly Christian Democratic and Conservative Liberal cabinets.
• Rutte cabinets (2010–2024): Led by Mark Rutte, these cabinets have varied, including Conservative Liberals, Christian Democrats, Social Democrats, and Social Liberals.
• Schoof cabinet (2024–present): The current cabinet, led by Dick Schoof, includes Nationalist, Conservative Liberal, Christian Democratic, and Agrarianist parties.