First Kok cabinet

First Kok cabinet in 1994

The First cabinet of Wim Kok (1994-1998), also called the "Purple Coalition" because of its social-democrat (red) and liberal (blue) components, was a Dutch government formed by the political parties PVDA, VVD and D66. D66 had won its greatest political victory with the slogan that the Christian Democratic Appeal should be in the opposition for a change. The desire to form a cabinet without the Christian Democrats was based on the pivotal role in the political center that the CDA played in Dutch politics. The CDA had been in government continuously since its formation in 1980, and at least one of its three antecedents had been in government since 1918.

The main aim of the cabinet was to create employment. GDP growth had been erratic in recent years. The aim of the cabinet was to increase the influence of markets in the economy, with policies of tax reduction, economizing and trying to keep people out of the social care by supporting employment. Large infrastructural projects were started. Another aim was to make an end to the enormous debt of the Dutch government.

The Treaty of Amsterdam was signed during this cabinet. The Srebrenica massacre occurred under the responsibility of this Government, which led later to the fall of the second Kok cabinet.

The cabinet started processes of liberalisation which were completed by the same coalition in the following cabinet: the legalisation of prostitution in 2000, same-sex marriage in 2001 and Euthanasia in 2002.

This was the last cabinet in recent history to serve a full term. Five of the following cabinets resigned and one was a temporary caretaker cabinet.

Ministers

Prime Minister General Affairs	Wim Kok	PvdA
Vice Prime Minister Interior Affairs	Hans Dijkstal	VVD
Vice Prime Minister Foreign Affairs	Hans van Mierlo	D66
Justice	Winnie Sorgdrager	D66
Education, Culture and Sciences	Jo Ritzen	PvdA
FInance	Gerrit Zalm	VVD
	Hans Wijers	D66	a.i. June 4–26, 1996
Defense Dutch Caribbean and Aruba	Joris Voorhoeve	VVD
Transport and Water	Annemarie Jorritsma	VVD
Economy	Hans Wijers	D66
Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheryj	Jozias van Aartsen	VVD
Social Affairs and Employment	Ad Melkert	PvdA
Public health, Wellbeing and Sports	Els Borst	D66
Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment	Margreeth de Boer	PvdA
Development cooperation	Jan Pronk	PvdA

State Secretaries

Please refer to the article on State Secretary (Netherlands) for an explanation about the function.

Foreign Affairs	Michiel Patijn	VVD
Justice	Elizabeth Schmitz	PvdA
Interior Affairs	Jacob Kohnstamm	D66
	Tonny van de Vondervoort	PvdA
Education, Culture and Sciences	Tineke Netelenbos	PvdA
	Aad Nuis	D66
Finance	Willem Vermeend	PvdA
Defense	Jan Gmelich Meijling	VVD
Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment	Dick Tommel	D66
Economy	Anneke van Dok-van Weele	PvdA
Social Affairs and Employment	Robin Linschoten	VVD	until 28 June 1996
	Frank de Grave	VVD	from 2 July 1996
Public health, Wellbeing and Sports	Erica Terpstra	VVD