The cabinet was a centrist grand coalition and had a substantial majority in the House of Representatives with Christian-Democratic Leader Ruud Lubbers serving as Prime Minister.

On 18 September 1990 Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries Gerrit Braks (CDA) resigned after the Labour Party in the House of Representatives indicated that they had lost confidence in his ability to remain in office after strongly disagreeing in his animal welfare and fraud policy.

On 3 January 1993 Minister for Foreign Affairs Hans van den Broek (CDA) resigned after he was appointed as European Commissioner for External Relations and Enlargement.

That same day Pieter Kooijmans (CDA), a former State Secretary for Foreign Affairs who until then had been working as a professor of International law at Leiden University, was appointed as his successor.

On 5 June 1993 State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment Elske ter Veld (PvdA) resigned after gaining insufficient support from her own Labour Party in the House of Representatives for a new widow's pension act.

That same day Roel in 't Veld (PvdA), who until then had been working as a professor of Public administration at the Erasmus University Rotterdam was installed as his successor as State Secretary for Education and Sciences.

On 26 February 1994 State Secretary for Welfare, Health and Culture Hans Simons (PvdA) resigned after he was appointed as a alderman in Rotterdam, but because the cabinet was already nearing the end of its term, he was not replaced.