The First Beel cabinet was the cabinet of the Netherlands from 3 July 1946 until 7 August 1948. The cabinet was formed by the Christian democratic Catholic People's Party (KVP) and the social democratic Labour Party (PvdA) after the 1946 general election. The cabinet was a centre-leftChanging Liaisons The Dynamics of Social Partnership in 20th Century West-European DemocraciesBy Karel Davids, 2007, P.165 grand coalition and had a substantial majority in the House of Representatives with prominent Catholic politician Louis Beel serving as Prime Minister, and dual serving as Minister of the Interior continuing from the previous cabinet. Labour leader Willem Drees continued as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs from the previous cabinet. According to one study, "Beel was of the opinion that a joint KVP–PvdA programme should be presented to other political groups. According to Beel, that programme should be socio-economically progressive, that is to say reform-oriented in favour of broad layers of the population. The socialists should not have to fear that a conservative wing within the KVP would rule the roost."III. De kabinetsformatie van 1946 a. De formatie tot 17 juni 1946
The cabinet served during the early years of the post-war 1940s. Domestically the beginning of the recovery and rebuilding following World War II continued with the Marshall Plan, it was also to implement several major social reforms to social security, including the Algemene Ouderdomswet. Internationally the beginning of the decolonization of the Dutch East Indies was continued. The cabinet suffered no major internal and external conflicts. Following a major revision of the Constitution, a snap election was called to simultaneously elect a new parliament. Following the election, the cabinet continued in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced by the Drees–Van Schaik cabinet.
Term A major issue was the independence of the Dutch East Indies. This required a change in the Constitution. In November 1946, the Linggadjati Agreement was signed, but different interpretations led to Dutch military intervention (the Police Actions). Under international pressure through the UN, this ended and negotiations restarted, ultimately resulting in the new country Indonesia, but only under the next cabinet, Drees I. An important new law was the Noodwet Ouderdomsvoorziening by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs Willem Drees.
Composition TitleMinisterTerm of office Image NamePartyStartEnd Prime Minister Louis Beel 3 July 1946 7 August 1948 Minister of General Affairs 13 October 1947 7 August 1948 Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Social Affairs Willem Drees 3 July 1946 7 August 1948 Minister of the Interior Louis Beel 3 July 1946 15 September 1947 Piet Witteman 15 September 1947 7 August 1948 Minister of Foreign Affairs Pim van Boetzelaer van Oosterhout Indep. 3 July 1946 7 August 1948 Minister of Finance Piet Lieftinck 3 July 1946 7 August 1948 Minister of Justice Johan van Maarseveen 3 July 1946 7 August 1948 Minister of Economic Affairs Gerard Huysmans 3 July 1946 14 January 1948 Sicco Mansholt (ad interim) 14 January 1948 20 January 1948 Jan van den Brink 21 January 1948 7 August 1948 Minister of War Alexander Fiévez 3 July 1946 7 August 1948 Minister of the Navy Alexander Fiévez (ad interim) 3 July 1946 7 August 1946 Jules Schagen van Leeuwen Indep. 7 August 1946 25 November 1947 Alexander Fiévez (ad interim) 25 November 1947 7 August 1948 Minister of Education, Arts and Sciences Jos Gielen 3 July 1946 7 August 1948 Minister of Transport (1946–1947) Minister of Transport and Water Management (1947–1948) Hein Vos 3 July 1946 7 August 1948 Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supplies Sicco Mansholt 3 July 1946 7 August 1948 Minister of Public Works and Reconstruction (1946–1947) Minister of Reconstruction and Housing (1947–1948) Johan Ringers Indep. Lib. 3 July 1946 15 November 1946 Hein Vos (acting) 15 November 1946 3 March 1947 Lambertus Neher 3 March 1947 1 March 1948 Joris in 't Veld 1 March 1948 7 August 1948 Minister of Overseas Territories Jan Jonkman 3 July 1946 30 August 1947 Minister for Foreign Affairs Eelco van Kleffens Indep. 3 July 1946 3 July 1947 Minister for Budgetary Affairs Overseas Territories Lubbertus Götzen Indep. AR 11 November 1947 7 August 1948
References
External links
Kabinet-Beel I Parlement & Politiek Kabinet-Beel I Rijksoverheid
Further reading