The Third Lubbers cabinet, also called the Lubbers–Kok cabinet, was the executive branch of the Dutch government from 7 November 1989 to 22 August 1994. The cabinet was formed the christian-democratic Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the social-democratic Labour Party (PvdA) after the election of 1989. 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. Labour Leader Wim Kok served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.

Quick Facts Date formed, Date dissolved ...

Third Lubbers cabinet Lubbers–Kok cabinet
61st Cabinet of the Netherlands
The installation of the Third Lubbers cabinet on 7 November 1989
Date formed	7 November 1989 (1989-11-07)
Date dissolved	22 August 1994 (1994-08-22) 4 years, 288 days in office (Demissionary from 10 May 1994 (1994-05-10))
People and organisations
Monarch	Queen Beatrix
Prime Minister	Ruud Lubbers
Deputy Prime Minister	Wim Kok
No. of ministers	14
Ministers removed	7
Total no. of members	19
Member party	Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) Labour Party (PvdA)
Status in legislature	Centrist Majority government (Grand coalition)
History
Election(s)	1989 election
Outgoing election	1994 election
Legislature term(s)	1989–1994
Incoming formation	1989 formation
Outgoing formation	1994 formation
Predecessor	Second Lubbers cabinet
Successor	First Kok cabinet

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The cabinet served during the final years of the turbulent 1980s and the early years of the economic boom of the 1990s. Domestically it focused on revitalizing the economy, reducing the deficit, and stimulating further deregulation and privatization. It had to deal with the El Al Flight 1862 Crash. Internationally the signing of the Maastricht Treaty took place but also it had to deal with several crises such as the beginning of the Bosnian War. The cabinet suffered several major internal conflicts including multiple resignations, but completed its entire term and was succeeded by the First Kok cabinet following the 1994 election.^[1]

According to one study, “In a bid to placate the progressive wing of his party and to keep the Christian Democrats in the centre, Rudd Lubbers discarded the right-wing liberals (VVD) in 1989 as a coalition partner and invited the social democrats (PvdA) to partake in the third Lubbers cabinet (1989-1994).”^[2]

The cabinet was formed with a view to social reform. This was impossible because of the then bad shape of the Dutch economy, which made large reductions in government spending necessary. The reduction in spending on social care for disabled people led to demonstrations against the Dutch government in 1992. Many angry socialists left the Labour Party. The coalition lost heavily at the 1994 general election.

Several cabinet members returned after serving in previous cabinets: Minister of the Interior Ed van Thijn had served earlier in the same position from 1981 until 1982, Minister of Economic Affairs Koos Andriessen had served earlier in the same position from 1963 until 1965, Minister of Development Cooperation Jan Pronk had served earlier in the same position from 1973 until 1977 and State Secretary for Finance Marius van Amelsvoort had served earlier in the same position from 1980 until 1981.

^Resigned

^{Retained from the previous cabinet}

^{Continued in the next cabinet}

^Acting

^{Ad Interim}

^{Died in Office}

^{Designated with the diplomatic rank of Minister}

^{Medical leave of absence from 6 February 1991 until 3 March 1991}

^{Resigned following election to the European Parliament}

^{Appointed as European Commissioner}

^{Appointed as Minister of the Interior}

^{Appointed as Minister of Justice}

^{Appointed as Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries}

^{Appointed as Queen's Commissioner of Limburg}

^{Appointed as State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment}

• Seven cabinet members had previous experience as scholars and professors: Ernst Hirsch Ballin (Constitutional and Administrative Law), Pieter Kooijmans (International human rights Law), Koos Andriessen (Political Economics), Jo Ritzen (Public and Education Economics), Bert de Vries (Business Economics), Roel in 't Veld (Public Administration) and Job Cohen (Jurisprudence).
• Seven members (later) served as Mayors: Ien Dales (Nijmegen), Ed van Thijn, Enneüs Heerma and Job Cohen (Amsterdam), Gerrit Braks (Eindhoven), Jacques Wallage (Groningen) and Dzsingisz Gabor (Haaksbergen).
• Six cabinet members later served as in high-profile international functions: Ruud Lubbers (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), Hans van den Broek (European Commissioner), Pieter Kooijmans (Judge of the International Court of Justice), Jan Pronk (Special Representative of the United Nations), Piet Bukman (President of the European People's Party) and Piet Dankert (President of the European Parliament).
• Five cabinet members where of Jewish decent: Ernst Hirsch Ballin (German-Ashkenazi), Ed van Thijn (Dutch-Ashkenazi), Hedy d'Ancona (Italian-Sephardi), Jacques Wallage (English-Ashkenazi) and Job Cohen (German-Ashkenazi).
• Four cabinet members (later) served as Queen's Commissioners: Relus ter Beek (Drenthe), Hanja Maij-Weggen (Zeeland), Hans Alders (Groningen) and Berend-Jan van Voorst tot Voorst (Limburg).
• Four cabinet members would later be granted the honorary title of Minister of State: Ruud Lubbers (1995), Wim Kok (2002), Hans van den Broek (2005) and Pieter Kooijmans (2007).
• On appointment, Koos Andriessen had served as Minister of Economic Affairs 24 years and 207 days previously, in the Marijnen cabinet.
• Ruud Lubbers became the longest-serving Dutch Prime Minister with a total period in office of 11 years, 291 days.