Fifth Colijn cabinet
The Fifth Colijn cabinet was the cabinet of the Netherlands from 25 July 1939 until 10 August 1939. The cabinet was formed by the political parties Anti-Revolutionary Party, Christian Historical Union and the Liberal State Party. The right-wing cabinet was a minority government in the House of Representatives. It was the last of five cabinets of Hendrikus Colijn, the Leader of the Anti-Revolutionary Party as Chairman of the Council of Ministers.
Formation
The previous Fourth Colijn cabinet had fallen on 29 June 1939, because Colijn refused to implement the plans of Minister of Social Affairs Carl Romme, after which the ministers of the Roman Catholic State Party refused to continue working with Colijn.Colijn attempted to form a new cabinet with the RKSP, and on July 5, 1939, he held talks with the leaders of the parties represented in the House of Representatives. Party leaders of the RKSP and Free-thinking Democratic League objected to Colijn's plans to cut spending in all areas except defense. Colijn asked Queen Wilhelmina to relieve him of his task as formateur, but she refused because she did not yet know who would succeed Colijn. Only after the Queen had consulted with the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives and several other dignitaries at Noordeinde Palace on July 7 was Colijn relieved of his duties as formateur the next day. In his stead the Queen appointed Dionysius Koolen, former minister and former speaker of the House of Representatives. Koolen, who belonged to the right wing of the RKSP, was unable to make any progress, and he was relieved of his post as formateur on July 13. The Queen reappointed Colijn as formateur, much to the annoyance of the RKSP. Colijn said he had little enthusiasm for the task, but accepted it as a dutiful man. He later stated that he was “more of an officer who obeys than a statesman who decides according to his own responsibility.”
On July 25, Colijn succeeded in forming a cabinet consisting of conservative figures from the ARP, the CHU, the Liberal State Party, and independent liberals. The cabinet was formed outside the parties, which meant that ministers joined on their own authority. There was no place in the new cabinet for the RKSP, which considered the entire formation a farce. The fall of the cabinet was brought about that same day by the adoption of a motion submitted by RKSP party leader Deckers, which condemned the cabinet's actions. This motion was supported by the RKSP, SDAP, VDB, CDU, and the CPN. The ARP, CHU, the Liberal State Party, National [Socialist Movement (Netherlands)|NSB], and the SGP voted against.
Initially, it appeared that Colijn would disregard the ruling of the House of Representatives. He was supported in this line of thinking by the authoritarian professor at Utrecht University Carel Gerretson. However, Member of Parliament Anne Anema convinced Colijn that the House's ruling left him no choice but to offer the cabinet's resignation. The cabinet was dismissed by the Queen on 27 July 1939, just two days after it took office, and on August 10, the center-left Second De Geer cabinet came to power.