Second Kok cabinet

The Second Kok cabinet, also called the Second Purple cabinet was the cabinet of the Netherlands from 3 August 1998 until 22 July 2002. The cabinet was formed by the political parties Labour Party (PvdA), People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the Democrats 66 (D66) after the election of 1998. The grand coalition (Purple) cabinet was a majority government in the House of Representatives and was a continuation of the previous cabinet Kok I. It was the last of two cabinets of Wim Kok, the Leader of the Labour Party as Prime Minister, with Annemarie Jorritsma of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and Els Borst the former Leader of the Democrats 66 serving as Deputy Prime Ministers.[1]

Second Kok cabinet Second Purple cabinet
63rd Cabinet of the Netherlands
The installation of the Second Kok cabinet on 3 August 1998
Date formed	3 August 1998 (1998-08-03)
Date dissolved	22 July 2002 (2002-07-22) (Demissionary from 16 April 2002 (2002-04-16))
People and organisations
Head of state	Queen Beatrix
Head of government	Wim Kok
Deputy head of government	Annemarie Jorritsma Els Borst
No. of ministers	15
Total no. of members	17
Member party	Labour Party (PvdA) People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) Democrats 66 (D66)
Status in legislature	Centre (Purple) Grand coalition
Opposition party	Christian Democratic Appeal
Opposition leader	Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (1998–2001) Jan Peter Balkenende (2001–2002)
History
Election(s)	1998 election
Outgoing election	2002 election
Legislature term(s)	1998–2002
Incoming formation	1998 formation
Outgoing formation	2002 formation
Predecessor	First Kok cabinet
Successor	First Balkenende cabinet

Formation

The new cabinet was the successor of the First Kok cabinet (First Purple cabinet) and was formed from the same coalition of Labour Party, People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and Democrats 66. It was also known as the 'tweede paarse kabinet' ('second purple cabinet') called such because it contained both the social-democratic Labour Party (red) and the liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (blue).

Term

The aim of the cabinet was to continue the policy of cabinet Kok I, which was concerned with economizing, tax reduction and making an end to unemployment. Wim Kok was the Prime Minister, Annemarie Jorritsma as the Deputy Prime Minister for the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, and Els Borst for Democrats 66. The cabinet was considered boring, because both left-wing and right-wing political parties were a part of it. There was no strong opposition in the parliament. The cabinet completed processes of liberalisation which were started by the previous cabinet: the legalisation of prostitution in 2000, same-sex marriage in 2001 and Euthanasia in 2002. This cabinet was notable for resigning twice. The first time was in May 1999, when Democrats 66 stepped out of the coalition when proposed legislation entered by this party was blocked; through negotiations the crisis was solved and the cabinet stayed together. The second and final time was on 16 April 2002, just one month before the next election, when Prime Minister Kok wished to resign over the NIOD report into the genocide of Srebrenica in 1995 and the other ministers had no choice but to follow him. The Second Kok cabinet remained in place as a Demissionary cabinet until 22 July 2002, when it was replaced by the First Balkenende cabinet.

Changes

On 7 June 1999 Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries Haijo Apotheker (D66) resigned citing that as a former Mayor he couldn't adjust to national politics. Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Klaas de Vries (PvdA) served as acting Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries until 9 June 1999 when Member of the European Parliament Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (D66), a former State Secretary for Foreign Affairs was appointed as his successor.

On 13 March 2000 Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Bram Peper (PvdA) resigned after a report was released about inappropriate declarations he had made when he served as Mayor of Rotterdam. Minister for Integration and Urban Planning Roger van Boxtel (D66) served as acting Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations until 24 March 2000 when Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Klaas de Vries (PvdA) was installed as his successor. That same day State Secretary for Finance Willem Vermeend (PvdA) was appointed as Minister of Social Affairs and Employment and Member of the House of Representatives Wouter Bos (PvdA) was installed as State Secretary for Finance.

On 1 January 2001 State Secretary for Justice Job Cohen (PvdA) resigned after he was appointed as Mayor of Amsterdam. That same day Member of the House of Representatives Ella Kalsbeek (PvdA) was installed as his successor.

Frank de Grave and United States Secretary of Defense William Cohen at The Pentagon on 25 September 2000.

Prime Minister Wim Kok and President of Russia Vladimir Putin during a meeting in the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow on 19 January 2001.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Jozias van Aartsen during a meeting at The Pentagon on 18 May 2001.

Cabinet Members

Ministers			Title/Ministry		Term of office	Party
		Wim Kok (1938–2018)	Prime Minister	General Affairs	22 August 1994 – 22 July 2002 ^[Retained]	Labour Party
		Annemarie Jorritsma (born 1950)	Deputy Prime Minister / Minister	Economic Affairs	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Dr. Els Borst (1932–2014)	Deputy Prime Minister	Health, Welfare and Sport	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	Democrats 66
			Minister		22 August 1994 – 22 July 2002 ^[Retained]
		Dr. Bram Peper (born 1940)	Minister	Interior and Kingdom Relations	3 August 1998 – 13 March 2000 ^[Res]	Labour Party
		Roger van Boxtel (born 1954)			13 March 2000 – 24 March 2000 ^[Ad interim]	Democrats 66
		Klaas de Vries (born 1943)			24 March 2000 – 22 July 2002	Labour Party
		Jozias van Aartsen (born 1947)	Minister	Foreign Affairs	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Gerrit Zalm (born 1952)	Minister	Finance	22 August 1994 – 22 July 2002 ^[Retained]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Benk Korthals (born 1944)	Minister	Justice	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Frank de Grave (born 1955)	Minister	Defence	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Klaas de Vries (born 1943)	Minister	Social Affairs and Employment	3 August 1998 – 24 March 2000 ^[Appt]	Labour Party
		Dr. Willem Vermeend (born 1948)			24 March 2000 – 22 July 2002	Labour Party
		Loek Hermans (born 1951)	Minister	Education, Culture and Science	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Tineke Netelenbos (born 1944)	Minister	Transport and Water Management	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	Labour Party
		Haijo Apotheker (born 1950)	Minister	Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries	3 August 1998 – 7 June 1999 ^[Res]	Democrats 66
		Klaas de Vries (born 1943)			7 June 1999 – 9 June 1999 ^[Ad interim]	Labour Party
		Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (born 1937)			9 June 1999 – 22 July 2002	Democrats 66
		Jan Pronk (born 1940)	Minister	Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	Labour Party
Ministers without portfolio			Title/Portfolio/Ministry		Term of office	Party
		Roger van Boxtel (born 1954)	Minister	Integration and Urban Planning (within Interior and Kingdom Relations)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	Democrats 66
		Eveline Herfkens (born 1952)	Minister	Development Cooperation (within Foreign Affairs)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	Labour Party
State Secretaries			Title/Portfolio/Ministry		Term of office	Party
		Gijs de Vries (born 1956)	State Secretary	• Kingdom Relations • Emergency Services • Disaster Management (within Interior and Kingdom Relations)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Dick Benschop (born 1957)	State Secretary	• European Affairs • NATO Affairs • Benelux Affairs (within Foreign Affairs)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	Labour Party
		Dr. Willem Vermeend (born 1948)	State Secretary	• Fiscal Affairs • Tax and Customs Administration • Local Government Finances • National Mint • Gambling Policy • State Lottery (within Finance)	22 August 1994 – 24 March 2000 ^[Retained] ^[Appt]	Labour Party
		Wouter Bos (born 1963)			24 March 2000 – 22 July 2002	Labour Party
		Dr. Job Cohen (born 1947)	State Secretary	• Integration • Immigration • Asylum Affairs • Public Prosecution Service • Administrative Law • Family Law • Youth Justice • Rehabilitation • Prevention • Debt Management (within Justice)	3 August 1998 – 1 January 2001 ^[Appt]	Labour Party
		Ella Kalsbeek (born 1955)			1 January 2001 – 22 July 2002	Labour Party
		Gerrit Ybema (1945–2012)	State Secretary	• International Trade • Export Promotion • Small Business Policy • Retail Policy • Regional Development • Consumer Protection • Tourism Affairs (within Economic Affairs)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	Democrats 66
		Henk van Hoof (born 1947)	State Secretary	• Personnel Affairs • Equipment Policy • Inter-Branch Cooperation • Veteran Affairs (within Defence)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Margo Vliegenthart (born 1958)	State Secretary	• Youth Policy • Elderly Policy • Disability Affairs • Minority Affairs • Sport (within Health, Welfare and Sport)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	Labour Party
		Hans Hoogervorst (born 1956)	State Secretary	• Social Security • Occupational Safety • Social Services (within Social Affairs and Employment)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Annelies Verstand (born 1949)		• Unemployment Affairs • Equality • Emancipation (within Social Affairs and Employment)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	Democrats 66
		Karin Adelmund (1949–2005)	State Secretary	• Primary Education • Secondary Education • Special Education (within Education, Culture and Science)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	Labour Party
		Dr. Rick van der Ploeg (born 1956)		• Media Affairs • Culture Policy • Arts Policy (within Education, Culture and Science)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	Labour Party
		Monique de Vries (born 1947)	State Secretary	• Water Infrastructure • Digital Infrastructure • Postal Service • Weather Forecasting Service (within Transport and Water Management)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Geke Faber (born 1952)	State Secretary	• Nature Policy • Agricultural Management • Food Policy • Rural Development • Fisheries • Forestry • Animal Welfare (within Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	Labour Party
		Johan Remkes (born 1951)	State Secretary	• Spatial Planning • Government Real Estate • Environmental Policy • Environmental Remediation (within Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Source: (in Dutch) Kabinet-Kok II Rijksoverheid

^Retained Retained this position from the previous cabinet.

^Res Resigned.

^{Ad interim} Served ad interim.

^Appt Appointment: Klaas de Vries appointed Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations; Willem Vermeend appointed Minister of Social Affairs and Employment. Job Cohen appointed Mayor of Amsterdam.

References

1. "Tweede kabinet Kok wil niet op routine verder" (in Dutch). Trouw. 4 August 1998. Retrieved 11 August 2017.

External links

Official

• (in Dutch) Kabinet-Kok II Parlement & Politiek
• (in Dutch) Kabinet-Kok II Rijksoverheid