Third Balkenende cabinet
Encyclopedia
The third Balkenende cabinet was formed on 7 July 2006 after a crisis in and the subsequent resignation of the second Balkenende cabinet
. This demissionary
minority cabinet
of Christian Democratic Appeal
(CDA) and People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
(VVD) was negotiated by former prime minister Ruud Lubbers
. The main tasks for this interim cabinet were the preparations for the early general election
on 22 November 2006 and the preparation of the 2007 budget. On February 22, 2007, the cabinet was succeeded by the fourth Balkenende cabinet
, consisting of the Christian Democratic Appeal
(CDA), Labour Party
(PvdA) and ChristianUnion
(CU).
Although only a minority of members of the House of Representatives was represented in the cabinet, the cabinet had full power to propose laws, each of which needed to be supported by an ad hoc majority in parliament. The constituent parties of the third Balkenende cabinet did have a majority (38 seats to 37 seats) in the Senate.
Minority cabinets are rare in Dutch politics: the previous minority cabinet was the 1982-1983 third Van Agt cabinet.
, who was scheduled to succeed former junior minister Mark Rutte
, when the second Balkenende cabinet fell unexpectedly. Joop Wijn
(economic affairs) and Atzo Nicolaï
(governmental reform and kingdom relations) were promoted from junior minister to full minister to replace the D66
ministers in the second Balkenende cabinet.
, in which Schiphol airport is located, resigned at the same day.
On 22 September 2006 two new ministers were assigned to the posts left by Donner and Dekker. Ernst Hirsch Ballin
of the CDA was the new Minister of Justice. During a much earlier third Lubbers cabinet he held the same position, from which he resigned in 1994 after the IRT-affair. Until his appointment as Minister of Justice, he was the president of the Administrative law Division of the Dutch Council of State
. A former Minister of the Environment in the first Lubbers cabinet, Pieter Winsemius of the VVD, replaced Dekker. He therefore resigned as a member of the Dutch Scientific Council for Government Policy.
. This group originally consisted of 26.000 and later 38.000 people who had been in an administrative process since 2001, many of their children were raised exclusively in the Netherlands. The Minister for Integration and Immigration Rita Verdonk
was currently looking into each of these dossiers to assess their future: either an expulsion or permanent residence. On December 1 the new House of Representatives adopted a motion to suspend all expulsions of asylum seekers from this group until a final decision on a general amnesty was made. Balkenende reacted annoyed as he stated that this ad-hoc left wing coalition (including PvdA and SP) was not a good basis for negotiations for a stable government. On December 5, the cabinet announced that it refused to execute this motion. It had three reasons for this, first it claimed that a parliament which deals with a care taker cabinet cannot demand that cabinet to implement new policy, second it argued that a general amnesty would only attract more asylum seekers and it also raised several questions on what specific groups of asylum seekers should be amnestied and what the legal consequences would be for other groups not included in the amnesty. Minister Verdonk did announce that the expulsion would be suspended until the next parliamentary debate. A majority in the House of Representatives now proposed to stop the expulsion of asylum seekers until the formation talks were finished, and allowing the formation talks to solve this issue, again the minister refused to execute this. On 13 December, the House of Representatives decided to respond to this unwillingness by a motion of no confidence
specifically oriented at Minister Verdonk. The leader of the VVD, Mark Rutte
announced that if Minister Verdonk would be forced to leave the cabinet all VVD ministers would leave: leaving only seven CDA ministers in the cabinet. On 14 December the cabinet held a meeting on how to respond to this motion: the cabinet found the solution in a small reshuffle in portfolios between Verdonk and Ernst Hirsch Balin, the Minister of Justice, who became responsible for migration, while Verdonk became responsible for youth criminality. Hirsh Balin could then partially execute the House of Representatives motion calling for a temporary halt to expulsions, and the VVD would be allowed to voice its opposition to this decision, breaking the principle that cabinets speak with one voice.
Second Balkenende cabinet
The second cabinet of Jan Peter Balkenende of the Netherlands formed on 27 May 2003. It consisted of three political parties: People's Party for Freedom and Democracy , Christian Democratic Appeal , and Democrats 66 , which is the smallest of the three.On 29 June 2006, D66 dropped its support for...
. This demissionary
Caretaker government
Caretaker government is a type of government that rules temporarily. A caretaker government is often set up following a war until stable democratic rule can be restored, or installed, in which case it is often referred to as a provisional government...
minority cabinet
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
of Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
(CDA) and People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
(VVD) was negotiated by former prime minister Ruud Lubbers
Ruud Lubbers
Rudolphus Franciscus Marie "Ruud" Lubbers is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from November 4, 1982 until August 22, 1994....
. The main tasks for this interim cabinet were the preparations for the early general election
Dutch general election, 2006
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on November 22, 2006. And followed the call for new elections after the fall of the Second Balkenende cabinet....
on 22 November 2006 and the preparation of the 2007 budget. On February 22, 2007, the cabinet was succeeded by the fourth Balkenende cabinet
Fourth Balkenende cabinet
The fourth Balkenende cabinet or Balkenende IV is the previous Dutch coalition cabinet formed by the political parties Christian Democratic Appeal , Labour Party , and ChristianUnion . The cabinet succeeded the third Balkenende cabinet following the 2006 election, and was installed by Queen Beatrix...
, consisting of the Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
(CDA), Labour Party
Labour Party (Netherlands)
The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
(PvdA) and ChristianUnion
ChristianUnion
The ChristianUnion , abbreviated to CU, is a Dutch Christian democratic political party. A centrist party, the CU's policies combine social conservatism and soft euroscepticism with more centre-left positions on economic, immigration, and environmental issues.Founded in 2000 as a merger of the...
(CU).
Although only a minority of members of the House of Representatives was represented in the cabinet, the cabinet had full power to propose laws, each of which needed to be supported by an ad hoc majority in parliament. The constituent parties of the third Balkenende cabinet did have a majority (38 seats to 37 seats) in the Senate.
Minority cabinets are rare in Dutch politics: the previous minority cabinet was the 1982-1983 third Van Agt cabinet.
Composition
The third Balkenende cabinet consists of 16 ministers and 7 junior ministers (staatssecretaris). These positions are divided among the coalition members according to their size in parliament: CDA supplies 9 ministers and 4 junior ministers and VVD supplies 7 ministers and 3 junior ministers. All members of this cabinet also served in the second Balkenende cabinet, except for junior minister for Education Bruno BruinsBruno Bruins
Bruno Johannes Bruins is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He was the State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science in the Cabinets Balkenende II and III serving from July 7, 2006 until February 22, 2007. He was Acting Mayor of Leidschendam-Voorburg...
, who was scheduled to succeed former junior minister Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte is a Dutch politician who has been Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 14 October 2010, as well as Minister of General Affairs in the Rutte cabinet...
, when the second Balkenende cabinet fell unexpectedly. Joop Wijn
Joop Wijn
Joannes Gerardus Wijn was Minister of Economic Affairs in the third Balkenende cabinet of the Netherlands....
(economic affairs) and Atzo Nicolaï
Atzo Nicolaï
Atzo Nicolaï is a former Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . Since 1 June 2011 he is a member of the board of directors of the Dutch chemical multinational DSM....
(governmental reform and kingdom relations) were promoted from junior minister to full minister to replace the D66
Democrats 66
Democrats 66 is a progressive and social-liberal political party in the Netherlands. D66 was formed in 1966 by a group of politically unaligned, young intellectuals, led by journalist Hans van Mierlo. The party's main objective was to democratise the political system; it proposed to create an...
ministers in the second Balkenende cabinet.
Schiphol fire
October 27 2005, a fire erupted at a detention center at Schiphol airport, resulting in the death of 11 detainees from foreign countries. From the start doubts were shed on the organisation of the involved government agencies. On the 21st September 2006 the Dutch Safety Board presented the final report on the problems in the Schiphol prison. The report explicitly stated that 'fewer or even no casualties' would have occurred if the government had upheld the legal safety standards. Based on these harsh conclusions ministers Donner (Justice), responsible for prisons, and Dekker (Housing), responsible for government buildings resigned immediately. Also Fons Hertog, the mayor of HaarlemmermeerHaarlemmermeer
Haarlemmermeer is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is a polder, consisting of land reclaimed from water, and the name Haarlemmermeer means Haarlem's Lake, still referring to the body of water from which the region was reclaimed in the 19th century.Its main...
, in which Schiphol airport is located, resigned at the same day.
On 22 September 2006 two new ministers were assigned to the posts left by Donner and Dekker. Ernst Hirsch Ballin
Ernst Hirsch Ballin
Ernst Maurits Henricus Hirsch Ballin is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as Minister of Justice and Minister for Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs from November 7, 1989 until May 27, 1994 in the Cabinet Lubbers III...
of the CDA was the new Minister of Justice. During a much earlier third Lubbers cabinet he held the same position, from which he resigned in 1994 after the IRT-affair. Until his appointment as Minister of Justice, he was the president of the Administrative law Division of the Dutch Council of State
Dutch Council of State
In the Netherlands, the Council of State is a constitutionally established advisory body to the government which consists of members of the royal family and Crown-appointed members generally having political, commercial, diplomatic, or military experience...
. A former Minister of the Environment in the first Lubbers cabinet, Pieter Winsemius of the VVD, replaced Dekker. He therefore resigned as a member of the Dutch Scientific Council for Government Policy.
General amnesty
On November 30 2006 the new parliament was sworn in, including several members of the then demissionary cabinet. Because of the election results, this House of Representatives had a majority of parties that opposed the course of the third cabinet Balkenende on important issues. One important election issue was an amnesty for a specific group of asylum seekersRight of asylum
Right of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...
. This group originally consisted of 26.000 and later 38.000 people who had been in an administrative process since 2001, many of their children were raised exclusively in the Netherlands. The Minister for Integration and Immigration Rita Verdonk
Rita Verdonk
Maria Cornelia Frederika "Rita" Verdonk is a retired Dutch politician initially of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy until she was expelled in October 2007, she later formed her own party Proud of the Netherlands . She served as Minister for Integration and Immigration in Cabinets...
was currently looking into each of these dossiers to assess their future: either an expulsion or permanent residence. On December 1 the new House of Representatives adopted a motion to suspend all expulsions of asylum seekers from this group until a final decision on a general amnesty was made. Balkenende reacted annoyed as he stated that this ad-hoc left wing coalition (including PvdA and SP) was not a good basis for negotiations for a stable government. On December 5, the cabinet announced that it refused to execute this motion. It had three reasons for this, first it claimed that a parliament which deals with a care taker cabinet cannot demand that cabinet to implement new policy, second it argued that a general amnesty would only attract more asylum seekers and it also raised several questions on what specific groups of asylum seekers should be amnestied and what the legal consequences would be for other groups not included in the amnesty. Minister Verdonk did announce that the expulsion would be suspended until the next parliamentary debate. A majority in the House of Representatives now proposed to stop the expulsion of asylum seekers until the formation talks were finished, and allowing the formation talks to solve this issue, again the minister refused to execute this. On 13 December, the House of Representatives decided to respond to this unwillingness by a motion of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
specifically oriented at Minister Verdonk. The leader of the VVD, Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte is a Dutch politician who has been Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 14 October 2010, as well as Minister of General Affairs in the Rutte cabinet...
announced that if Minister Verdonk would be forced to leave the cabinet all VVD ministers would leave: leaving only seven CDA ministers in the cabinet. On 14 December the cabinet held a meeting on how to respond to this motion: the cabinet found the solution in a small reshuffle in portfolios between Verdonk and Ernst Hirsch Balin, the Minister of Justice, who became responsible for migration, while Verdonk became responsible for youth criminality. Hirsh Balin could then partially execute the House of Representatives motion calling for a temporary halt to expulsions, and the VVD would be allowed to voice its opposition to this decision, breaking the principle that cabinets speak with one voice.
Ministers
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Prime Minister Prime Minister of the Netherlands The Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands. He is the de facto head of government of the Netherlands and coordinates the policy of the government... , Minister of General Affairs (CDA) | Jan Peter Balkenende Jan Peter Balkenende Jan Pieter "Jan Peter" Balkenende is a Dutch politician of the party Christian Democratic Appeal .He was the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 22 July 2002 until 14 October 2010, having led four coalition governments, cabinets Balkenende I, II, III and IV, none of which served a full... |
| Deputy Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands The Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the official Deputy of the Head of Government of the Netherlands. In the absence of the Prime Minister the deputy prime minister takes over his functions, such as chairing the Cabinet of the Netherlands... , Minister of Finance Ministry of Finance (Netherlands) The Ministry of Finance is the Dutch ministry of finance: it is occupied with the national budget, taxation and financial economic policy, including supervision of financial markets... (VVD) | Gerrit Zalm Gerrit Zalm Gerrit Zalm is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He served as Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister from May 27, 2003 until February 22, 2007 in the Cabinets Balkenende II and III. He served earlier as Minister of Finance in the Cabinets Kok I and... |
| Minister of Economic Affairs (CDA) | Joop Wijn Joop Wijn Joannes Gerardus Wijn was Minister of Economic Affairs in the third Balkenende cabinet of the Netherlands.... |
| Minister of Interior and Kingdom Relations (VVD) | Johan Remkes Johan Remkes Johannes Wijnandus "Johan" Remkes is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He is the Queen's Commissioner of North Holland since July 1, 2010.... |
| Minister of Foreign affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs: it is occupied with the external relations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including European cooperation and International development... (CDA) | Ben Bot Ben Bot Bernard Rudolf "Ben" Bot is a Dutch diplomat of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from December 3, 2003 until February 22, 2007 in the Cabinets Balkenende II and III.... |
| Minister of Justice Ministry of Justice (Netherlands) The Ministry of Security and Justice is the Dutch ministry of justice. Until 14 October 2010, the ministry was just called Ministry of Justice , but at the start of the Rutte cabinet, the name changed because it had taken over some public safety duties from the Ministry of the Interior... (CDA) | Piet Hein Donner Piet Hein Donner Jan Pieter Hendrik "Piet Hein" Donner is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He is the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the Cabinet Rutte since October 14, 2010.... until 21 Sep 2006, thereafter Ernst Hirsch Ballin Ernst Hirsch Ballin Ernst Maurits Henricus Hirsch Ballin is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as Minister of Justice and Minister for Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs from November 7, 1989 until May 27, 1994 in the Cabinet Lubbers III... from 14 December 2006 onwards, the post includes Integration. |
| Minister of Education, Culture and Science (CDA) | Maria van der Hoeven Maria van der Hoeven Maria Josephina Arnoldina van der Hoeven is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal party. She is the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency since 1 September 2011.... |
| Minister for International Development Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs: it is occupied with the external relations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including European cooperation and International development... (CDA) | Agnes van Ardenne |
| Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport (VVD) | Hans Hoogervorst Hans Hoogervorst Hans Hoogervorst is a Dutch political and business figure. He is chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board.-Career:... |
| Minister of Defence Ministry of Defence (Netherlands) The Netherlands Ministry of Defence governs the Netherlands Armed Forces. The Minister is assisted by a State Secretary... (VVD) | Henk Kamp Henk Kamp Henricus Gregorius Jozeph "Henk" Kamp is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He is the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment since October 14, 2010 in the Cabinet Rutte. He was the Commissioner of the Netherlands Antilles from January 1, 2009 until October, 10... |
| Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VVD) | Sybilla Dekker Sybilla Dekker Sybilla Dekker is a Dutch politician.-References:... until 21 Sep 2006, thereafter Pieter Winsemius Pieter Winsemius Dr. Pieter Winsemius is a Dutch politician for the VVD.On September 22, 2006, he became Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment in the Third Balkenende cabinet . His appointment followed the resignation of Sybilla Dekker... |
| Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management (CDA) | Karla Peijs Karla Peijs Karla Maria Henriëtte Peijs is a Dutch politician of the CDA. She was minister of Transport and Waterworks in the second and third Balkenende cabinet. In August 2006 she announced she would not be accepting a position in a new cabinet. On 1 March 2007 she was appointed Queen's Commissioner for the... |
| Minister for Government Reform and Kingdom Relations (VVD) | Atzo Nicolaï Atzo Nicolaï Atzo Nicolaï is a former Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . Since 1 June 2011 he is a member of the board of directors of the Dutch chemical multinational DSM.... |
| Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (CDA) | Cees Veerman Cees Veerman Cornelis Pieter Veerman is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal. He served as Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality from July 22, 2002 until February 22, 2007.-Early life:... |
| Minister of Social Affairs and Employment (CDA) | Aart Jan de Geus Aart Jan de Geus Aart Jan de Geus is deputy secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris. He is a CDA Dutch politician and was the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment of the Netherlands in the first, second and third cabinet Balkenende.-Personal Life and Career:De... |
| Until December 14, 2006 Minister for Immigration and Integration Ministry of Justice (Netherlands) The Ministry of Security and Justice is the Dutch ministry of justice. Until 14 October 2010, the ministry was just called Ministry of Justice , but at the start of the Rutte cabinet, the name changed because it had taken over some public safety duties from the Ministry of the Interior... (VVD), After December 14, 2006 Minister for Integration, Prevention, Juvenile Protection, Integration and Sanctions Ministry of Justice (Netherlands) The Ministry of Security and Justice is the Dutch ministry of justice. Until 14 October 2010, the ministry was just called Ministry of Justice , but at the start of the Rutte cabinet, the name changed because it had taken over some public safety duties from the Ministry of the Interior... only | Rita Verdonk Rita Verdonk Maria Cornelia Frederika "Rita" Verdonk is a retired Dutch politician initially of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy until she was expelled in October 2007, she later formed her own party Proud of the Netherlands . She served as Minister for Integration and Immigration in Cabinets... |
State Secretaries
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| State Secretary for Higher Education (VVD) | Bruno Bruins Bruno Bruins Bruno Johannes Bruins is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He was the State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science in the Cabinets Balkenende II and III serving from July 7, 2006 until February 22, 2007. He was Acting Mayor of Leidschendam-Voorburg... |
| State Secretary for Defence (CDA) | Cees van der Knaap Cees van der Knaap Cornelis van der Knaap is a Dutch politician. He was State Secretary for Defense for the Christian Democratic Appeal .- Biography :... |
| State Secretary for the Environment (CDA) | Pieter van Geel Pieter van Geel Petrus Leonardus Bastiaan Antonius van Geel is a Dutch politician for the CDA.He was State Secretary of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment from 2002 until 2007 and a member of the House of Representatives in 2002, 2003 and from 2006 till 2010.- External links : , Parlement & Politiek... |
| State Secretary for Transport, Public Works and Water Management (VVD) | Melanie Schultz van Haegen Melanie Schultz van Haegen Melanie Henriëtte Schultz van Haegen-Maas Geesteranus is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . She was State Secretary for Transport, Public Works and Water Management. She is the Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment in the Rutte cabinet.-References:... |
| State Secretary for Trade (CDA) | Karien van Gennip Karien van Gennip Karien van Gennip is a former Dutch politician. In 2008 she was appointed Director European & International Affairs for ING Group.-References:... |
| State Secretary for Social Affairs (VVD) | Henk van Hoof Henk van Hoof Hendrikus Andreas Lambertus "Henk" van Hoof is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He was the State Secretary for Defence in the Cabinet Kok II serving from August 3, 1998 until July 22, 2002... |
| State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport (CDA) | Clémence Ross-Van Dorp Clémence Ross-van Dorp Clemencia Ignatia Johanna Maria Ross-van Dorp is a Dutch politician.-References:... |