First Biesheuvel cabinet

Problems facing the cabinet were the mooted release of remaining imprisoned Nazi German war criminals (the Breda Three) and increasing inflation, combined with a stagnating economy (stagflation). The decision to cut government expenses was not supported by DS'70, so the cabinet lost its majority in the parliament, eventually resulting in a second Biesheuvel cabinet.

Minister Stuyt, the first minister for environmental affairs, issued an urgency-note concerning the environment. In 1972, the first report from the Club of Rome was published, which showed that the environment is in a bad state worldwide and that resources will eventually run out.

In foreign affairs, the cabinet recognised the German Democratic Republic and voted in favour of the People’s Republic of China replacing the Republic of China at the United Nations.

More information Ministers, Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) ...

Ministers			Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s)			Term of office	Party
		Barend Biesheuvel (1920–2001)	Prime Minister	General Affairs		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
		Roelof Nelissen (1931–2019)	Deputy Prime Minister	Finance		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
			Minister
		Molly Geertsema (1918–1991)	Deputy Prime Minister	Interior		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
			Minister
		Norbert Schmelzer (1921–2008)	Minister	Foreign Affairs		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
		Dries van Agt (1931–2024)	Minister	Justice		6 July 1971 – 8 September 1977 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
		Harrie Langman (1931–2016)	Minister	Economic Affairs		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Hans de Koster (1914–1992)	Minister	Defence		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Louis Stuyt (1914–2000)	Minister	Health and Environment		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
		Jaap Boersma (1929–2012)	Minister	Social Affairs		6 July 1971 – 19 December 1977 [Continued]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
		Chris van Veen (1922–2009)	Minister	Education and Sciences		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Christian Historical Union
		Willem Drees Jr. (1922–1998)	Minister	Transport and Water Management		6 July 1971 – 21 July 1972 [Res]	Democratic Socialists '70
		Bé Udink (1926–2016)				21 July 1972 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Christian Historical Union
		Pierre Lardinois (1924–1987)	Minister	Agriculture and Fisheries		5 April 1967 – 1 January 1973 [Retained] [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
		Bé Udink (1926–2016)	Minister	Housing and Spatial Planning		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Christian Historical Union
		Piet Engels (1923–1994)	Minister	Culture, Recreation and Social Work		6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
Ministers without portfolio			Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s)			Term of office	Party
		Roelof Nelissen (1931–2019)	Minister	Interior	• Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs	6 July 1971 – 28 January 1972	Catholic People's Party
		Pierre Lardinois (1924–1987)				28 January 1972 – 1 January 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
		Kees Boertien (1927–2002)	Minister	Foreign Affairs	• Development Cooperation	6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
		Jonkheer Mauk de Brauw (1925–1984)	Minister	Education and Sciences	• Higher Education • Science Policy	6 July 1971 – 21 July 1972 [Res]	Democratic Socialists '70
		Chris van Veen (1922–2009)				21 July 1972 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Christian Historical Union
State Secretaries			Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s)			Term of office	Party
		Jan van Stuijvenberg (born 1928)	State Secretary	Interior	• Municipalities • civil service	17 July 1971 – 21 July 1972 [Res]	Democratic Socialists '70
		Tjerk Westerterp (1930–2023)	State Secretary	Foreign Affairs	• European Union • Benelux	17 August 1971 – 7 March 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
		Willem Scholten (1927–2005)	State Secretary	Finance	• Fiscal Policy • Tax and Customs	14 July 1971 – 19 March 1973 [Continued]	Christian Historical Union
		Fons van der Stee (1928–1999)			• Governmental Budget	14 July 1971 – 12 March 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
		Hans Grosheide (1930–2022)	State Secretary	Justice	• Immigration and Asylum • Civil Law • Youth Justice • Penitentiaries	28 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
		Jan Oostenbrink (1936–2025)	State Secretary	Economic Affairs	• Small and Medium-sized Businesses • Consumer Protection • Tourism	17 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
		Adri van Es (1913–1994)	State Secretary	Defence	• Human Resources • Equipment	14 August 1963 – 16 September 1972 [Retained] [Continued]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
		Koos Rietkerk (1927–1986)	State Secretary	Social Affairs	• Social Security • Unemployment • Occupational Safety • Social Services	28 July 1971 – 23 April 1973 [Continued]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Kees Schelfhout (1918–1983)	State Secretary	Education and Sciences	• Primary Education • Special Education • Preschool	28 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
		Roelof Kruisinga (1922–2012)	State Secretary	Transport and Water Management	• Public Infrastructure • Public Transport • Rail Transport • Water Management • Postal Service • Weather Forecasting	28 July 1971 – 20 March 1973 [Continued]	Christian Historical Union
		Werner Buck (1925–2010)	State Secretary	Housing and Spatial Planning	• Urban Planning • Spatial Planning	17 August 1971 – 11 May 1973 [Continued]	Catholic People's Party
		Fia van Veenendaal- van Meggelen (1918–2005)	State Secretary	Culture, Recreation and Social Work	• Social Services • Disability Policy	28 July 1971 – 21 July 1972 [Res]	Democratic Socialists '70
		Henk Vonhoff (1931–2010)			• Youth Care • Nature • Culture • Art • Recreation • Sport	28 July 1971 – 23 April 1973 [Continued]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy

Close

^Resigned

^{Retained from the previous cabinet}

^{Continued in the next cabinet}

• Six cabinet members (later) served as Party Leaders and Lijsttrekkers: Barend Biesheuvel (1963–1973) of the Anti-Revolutionary Party, Molly Geertsema (1969–1971) of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, Norbert Schmelzer (1963–1971) of the Catholic People's Party, Dries van Agt (1976–1982) of the Christian Democratic Appeal, Willem Drees Jr. (1971–1977) of the Democratic Socialists '70, Bé Udink (1970–1971) and Roelof Kruisinga (1971–1977) of the Christian Historical Union.
• Five cabinet members had previous experience as scholars and professors: Dries van Agt (Criminal Law and Procedure), Louis Stuyt (Internal Medicine), Willem Drees Jr. (Public Economics), Kees Boertien (Commercial Law) and Roelof Kruisinga (Otorhinolaryngology).
• Four cabinet members (later) served as Queen's Commissioner: Molly Geertsema (Gelderland), Dries van Agt (North Brabant), Kees Boertien (Zeeland) and Henk Vonhoff (Groningen).