1977 Dutch cabinet formation
The low point was the personal attack by PvdA MP Aad Kosto on Van Agt in the debate on Menten case on 23 February 1977.
Two days before the elections they hijacked a train at De Punt and held a primary school in Bovensmilde hostage.
[5] Van Agt also advised appointing Den Uyl as formateur, because an information round was sooner would lead to rigidity in the CDA parliamentary group.
[6] Juliana ultimately gave Den Uyl the task of "forming a cabinet that can be expected to have the confidence of parliament to enjoy".
In terms of content, the reform proposals of the previous government had to be achieved, the standard of one percent growth per year of the collective sector had to be adhered to and it had to be guaranteed that an initiative draft on abortion would be ratified with a countersign.
Van Thijn's note leaked and was published in de Volkskrant on 9 June, which immediately fueled distrust within CDA.
Another place for PvdA in the socio-economic triangle was out of the question, because Den Uyl, as Prime Minister, was constantly interfering with it.
The minutes of this meeting were subsequently leaked, after which Van Agt persuaded Andriessen to withdraw in order to maintain unity.
CHU leader Roelof Kruisinga was mainly interested in a ministerial post and contacted PvdA members about this.
[14] CDA policy officer Joop van Rijswijk noted about the internal cooperation: "In fact, our parliamentary group has a four-person leadership.
The negotiators virtually managed to settle this protracted issue in one evening, with agreement on the most important points arranged on 5 July.
At the request of the CDA, this was combined with the discussion about the 'Memorandum regarding the financial, social and economic policy to be pursued' (also known as Memo II) drawn up by Den Uyl.
On 12 July negotiators discussed the VAD again, with Den Uyl increasing pressure on D'66 and CDA to agree quickly.
Albeda was a left-wing and progressive CDA member, from the ARP and had been involved as an informateur in the formation of the Den Uyl cabinet in 1973.
For the first time in a cabinet formation, the negotiators were accompanied by a parliamentary groupspecialist; Dick Dolman (PvdA), Peijnenburg (CDA) and Erwin Nypels (D'66).
This tactic was undermined when the minutes were leaked to Den Uyl and later De Tijd, which showed that a minority was willing to compromise.
Van Thijn advised to appoint Den Uyl again as formateur with a broader remit including the possibility of a minority cabinet.
It was added in the final report of 8 October that all parties had to be sufficiently in agreement with the bill, but that a future cabinet member would not be able to block the countersigning.
Under the guidance of the informateurss, they continued to discuss sensitive topics, such as the construction of nuclear power stations, the budget for defense and the position of special education.
[33] During the 'final conversation' on 20 October with the informateurs, Van Agt suggested to Justice to D'66, as the only post for D'66, but that the CDA received other ministries in return.
Ultimately, on 24 October, they reached an agreement in which CDA did receive Justice, but Van Agt went to Home Affairs and the score was 7-7-2.
Supported by the parliamentary group, where only five members now voted against, Den Uyl and Van Thijn ignored the party council's ruling.
In addition to himself, Van Agt nominated Wilhelm Friedrich de Gaay Fortman (Justice), Kruisinga (Agriculture), Gardeniers (Public Health) and Andriessen (Economic Affairs).
Den Uyl made good use of this by placing Lubbers in Economic Affairs, after which Gardeniers and Kruisinga indicated that they would not become ministers without Andriessen in the cabinet.
On 4 November, the CDA parliamentary group said definitively no to the formateur's proposal and gave Den Uyl back his assignment.
Even council advisor Herman Tjeenk Willink and director of the Government Information Service Gijs van der Wiel, who had always been there until then, were sent away.
[38] Already in the first conversation they managed to make agreements about the WIR, the VAD, the works councils and the distribution of ministerial posts.
The VVD quickly agreed, but under pressure from ARP members such as Aantjes and Scholten, dozens of amendments were submitted.
When Van Agt was given the formateur's assignment on 8 December the queen was, according to him, "noticeably unhappy", because she feared that his cabinet would be shaky and short-lived.
Two candidates, including former parliamentary leader Edzo Toxopeus, refused, after which Wiegel ended up with Chris van der Klaauw.
