Politics of the Netherlands in the context of "Second Van Agt cabinet"

Science and technology in the Netherlands has an extended history, producing many notable achievements and discoveries in the field. It is an important component in the economic and societal development of the Netherlands. The Dutch government is a driver of scientific and technological progress with science expenditure passing €4.5 billion every year.

The Netherlands is a founding member of NATO, the European Commission and its successor, the European Union. It is a small, flat country in north-western Europe with 18.5% is covered by water. Its eastern border is shared with Germany, southern border with Belgium and western and northern borders with the North Sea. The Netherlands is part of the larger Kingdom of the Netherlands (which also includes the countries of Aruba, Curacao and St Maarten as well as the territories of Bonaire, Saba and St Eustasius; all former colonies located in the Caribbean).

The cabinet of the Netherlands (Dutch: Nederlands kabinet) is the main executive body of the Netherlands. The current cabinet of the Netherlands is the Schoof cabinet, which has been in office since 2 July 2024. It is headed by Prime Minister Dick Schoof.

The Cals cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch Government from 14 April 1965 until 22 November 1966. The cabinet was formed by the christian-democratic Catholic People's Party (KVP) and Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and the social-democratic Labour Party (PvdA) after the fall of the previous Cabinet Marijnen. The cabinet was a Centre-left coalition and had a substantial majority in the House of Representatives; prominent Catholic politician Jo Cals, a former Minister of Education, served as Prime Minister. Labour Leader Anne Vondeling served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Protestant Leader Barend Biesheuvel continued as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and the responsibility for Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs from previous cabinet.

The cabinet served in the middle of the tumultuous 1960s. Domestically it had to deal with the counterculture and implemented several major social reforms to social security, as well as closing the mines in Limburg and stimulating urban development in the Randstad. Internationally, the protests against the Vietnam War were a major point of attention. The cabinet suffered several major internal and external conflicts, including multiple cabinet resignations. The cabinet fell just 18 months into its term on 14 October 1966, following the Night of Schmelzer when Catholic Leader Norbert Schmelzer proposed a counter-motion that called for stronger austerity measures to reduce the deficit than those the cabinet had itself proposed. Prime Minister Cals saw this as an indirect motion of no confidence from his own party, and announced his resignation; the cabinet continued in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Zijlstra.

The third Van Agt cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch Government from 29 May 1982 until 4 November 1982. The cabinet was formed by the Christian-democratic Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the social-liberal Democrats 66 (D'66) after the fall of the previous Cabinet Van Agt II. The caretaker rump cabinet was a centrist coalition and had a minority in the House of Representatives with Christian Democratic Leader Dries van Agt continuing as Prime Minister and dual served as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Progressive-Liberal Leader Jan Terlouw continued as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs from previous cabinet.

The cabinet served in the early years of the economic expansion of the 1980s. Domestically its primary objective was to make preparations for a snap election in 1982, and it had to deal with a growing inflation following the recession in the 1980s and the Cent was removed as an active currency. Following the election the cabinet continued in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced by the First Lubbers cabinet.