Second Kok cabinet Second Purple cabinet | |
|---|---|
 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 |
| Ministers removed | 2 |
| Totalno. of members | 17 |
| Member party | Labour Party (PvdA) People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) Democrats 66 (D66) |
| Status in legislature | Centristmajoritygrand coalition |
| History | |
| Election | 1998 election |
| Outgoing election | 2002 election |
| Legislature terms | 1998–2002 |
| Incoming formation | 1998 formation |
| Outgoing formation | 2002 formation |
| Predecessor | First Kok cabinet |
| Successor | First Balkenende cabinet |
Thesecond Kok cabinet, also called thesecondPurple cabinet, was theexecutive branch of theDutch government from 3 August 1998 until 22 July 2002.
The cabinet was a continuation of the previousfirst Kok cabinet and was formed by thesocial-democraticLabour Party (PvdA), theconservative-liberalPeople's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and thesocial-liberalDemocrats 66 after theelection of 1998. The cabinet was acentristgrand coalition and had a substantialmajority in theHouse of Representatives withLabour LeaderWim Kok serving asPrime Minister. ProminentLiberal politicianAnnemarie Jorritsma, the Minister of Transport and Water Management in the previous cabinet, served asDeputy Prime Minister andMinister of Economic Affairs, while formerprogressive-liberal leaderEls Borst continued asMinister of Health, Welfare and Sport and also served as Deputy Prime Minister.
The cabinet served during theeconomic expansion of the late 1990s and early unstable 2000s. Domestically, it was able to implement several majorsocial reforms such as legalisingsame-sex marriage, and had to deal with theassassination of Pim Fortuyn. Internationally, it had to deal with several crises such as the fallout of theSrebrenica massacre and the response toSeptember 11 attacks. The cabinet suffered several major internal and external conflicts including multiple cabinet resignations; the cabinet itself resigned prematurely on two occasions: first following a majorpolitical crisis in May 1999 (it later came back on its resignation), and second, following the conclusions of areport into the Srebrenica massacre on 16 April 2002. It continued in ademissionary capacity until it was replaced following theelection of 2002.[1][2]
The new cabinet was the successor of theFirst Kok cabinet (FirstPurple cabinet) and was formed from the same coalition ofLabour Party,People's Party for Freedom and Democracy andDemocrats 66. It was also known as the 'tweede paarse kabinet' ('second purple cabinet') called such because it contained both the social-democraticLabour Party (red) and the liberalPeople's Party for Freedom and Democracy (blue).
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 thePeople's Party for Freedom and Democracy, andEls Borst forDemocrats 66. There was no strong opposition in the parliament. The cabinet completed processes of liberalisation which were started by the previous cabinet: the legalisation ofprostitution in 2000,same-sex marriage in 2001 andEuthanasia in 2002. This cabinet was notable for resigning twice. The first time was in May 1999, whenDemocrats 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 theNIOD report into the genocide ofSrebrenica in 1995 and the other ministers had no choice but to follow him. The Second Kok cabinet remained in place as aDemissionary cabinet until 22 July 2002, when it was replaced by theFirst Balkenende cabinet.
On 7 June 1999Minister of Agriculture, Nature and FisheriesHaijo Apotheker (D66) resigned citing that as a former mayor he could not adjust to national politics.Minister of Social Affairs and EmploymentKlaas de Vries (PvdA) served as actingMinister of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries until 9 June 1999 whenMember of the European ParliamentLaurens Jan Brinkhorst (D66), a formerState Secretary for Foreign Affairs was appointed as his successor.
On 13 March 2000Minister of the Interior and Kingdom RelationsBram Peper (PvdA) resigned after a report was released about inappropriate declarations he had made when he served asMayor of Rotterdam.Minister for Integration and Urban PlanningRoger van Boxtel (D66) served as actingMinister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations until 24 March 2000 whenMinister of Social Affairs and EmploymentKlaas de Vries (PvdA) was installed as his successor. That same dayState Secretary for FinanceWillem Vermeend (PvdA) was appointed asMinister of Social Affairs and Employment andMember of the House of RepresentativesWouter Bos (PvdA) was installed asState Secretary for Finance.
On 1 January 2001State Secretary for JusticeJob Cohen (PvdA) resigned after he was appointed asMayor of Amsterdam. That same dayMember of the House of RepresentativesElla Kalsbeek (PvdA) was installed as his successor.
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