1907–1908 Dutch cabinet formation
It was the third coalition cabinet, because it consisted of the Catholics, the Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and supported by the Christian Historical Union (CHU).
The opposition was led by the anti-revolutionary faction leader Theo Heemskerk and was supported by a number of liberals.
[2] Wilhelmina had already received CHU faction leader Alexander de Savornin Lohman for advice on 23 December.
Her official advisors followed suit on 27 December; the liberal Speaker of the House of Representatives Joan Röell and the Christian historical Speaker of the Senate Jan Elias Nicolaas Schimmelpenninck van der Oye and vice-president of the Council of State Petrus Johannes van Swinderen.
Lohman indicated to Wilhelmina that Kuyper would stir up resistance and unite the divided left-wing parties again in opposition to a cabinet under his leadership.
This mainly concerned military matters, but also the continuation of the Aceh policy of General Jo van Heutsz and the request to appoint a diplomat to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The cabinet would have to continue to cherish a conciliatory approach, which required avoiding 'politics of extremes', referring to Kuyper.
Kuyper saw his political career cut short by Wilhelmina's proposal and threatened to resign as party chairman.
He formed a coalition meeting with his party secretary Syb Talma, vice-chairman Jan Hendrik de Waal Malefijt and with the Catholic faction leader Maximilien Joseph Caspar Marie Kolkman and the Catholic former minister Jan Loeff.
[8] At Heemskerk's insistence, Wilhelmina received the party leaders on 10 January, with Lohman and Kolkman merely coming for form so that Kuyper could be summoned.
For the government programme, they discussed improving the army and withdrawing the suffrage proposal of the De Meester cabinet.
On behalf of the anti-revolutionaries, he had himself (Interior), the progressive Talma (Agriculture, Commerce and Industry) and Kuypers confidant Alexander Willem Frederik Idenburg (Colonies) in mind.
The political core was supplemented by the Catholics Loeff (Justice), Kolkman (Finance) and Jean Gustave Stanislas Bevers (Water Management).
The independents René de Marees van Swinderen (Foreign Affairs), Frederik Henri Alexander Sabron (War) and Abraham George Ellis (Navy) completed his proposal.
Ellis suggested A.H. Hoekwater, who initially accepted but who suffered a nervous breakdown and then decided against it for health reasons.
On Hoekwater's advice, Heemskerk then approached the incumbent Minister of the Navy Jan Wentholt, a non-partisan liberal, who they learned wanted to continue.
Lohman initially recommended the envoy in Washington, D.C., De Marees van Swinderen, but changed his mind and with him Heemskerk.
Lohman then ordered the Secretary General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration Leonard Henri Ruyssenaers, but he declined for health reasons.
