Barend Biesheuvel

His Excellency Barend Biesheuvel
Biesheuvel in 1982
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973
Monarch	Juliana
Deputy	Roelof Nelissen Molly Geertsema
Preceded by	Piet de Jong
Succeeded by	Joop den Uyl
Deputy Prime Minister
In office 24 July 1963 – 5 April 1967 Serving with Anne Vondeling (1965–1966) Jan de Quay (1966–1967)
Prime Minister	See list Victor Marijnen (1963–1965) Jo Cals (1965–1966) Jelle Zijlstra (1966–1967)
Preceded by	Henk Korthals
Succeeded by	Johan Witteveen Joop Bakker
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries
In office 24 July 1963 – 5 April 1967
Prime Minister	See list Victor Marijnen (1963–1965) Jo Cals (1965–1966) Jelle Zijlstra (1966–1967)
Preceded by	Victor Marijnen
Succeeded by	Pierre Lardinois
Minister for Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs
In office 24 July 1963 – 5 April 1967
Prime Minister	See list Victor Marijnen (1963–1965) Jo Cals (1965–1966) Jelle Zijlstra (1966–1967)
Preceded by	Henk Korthals
Succeeded by	Joop Bakker
Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives
In office 7 December 1972 – 7 March 1973
Preceded by	Willem Aantjes
Succeeded by	Willem Aantjes
In office 23 February 1967 – 6 July 1971
Preceded by	Bauke Roolvink
Succeeded by	Willem Aantjes
In office 5 June 1963 – 24 July 1963
Preceded by	Henk van Eijsden
Succeeded by	Jan Smallenbroek
Parliamentary group	Anti-Revolutionary Party
Leader of the Anti-Revolutionary Party
In office 5 June 1963 – 15 May 1973
Deputy	See list Jan Smallenbroek (1963–1965) Bauke Roolvink (1963–1967) Willem Aantjes (1967–1973)
Preceded by	Sieuwert Bruins Slot
Succeeded by	Willem Aantjes
Member of the European Parliament
In office 7 March 1961 – 24 July 1963
Parliamentary group	Christian Democratic Group
Constituency	Netherlands
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 7 December 1972 – 7 March 1973
In office 23 February 1967 – 6 July 1971
In office 6 November 1956 – 24 July 1963
Parliamentary group	Anti-Revolutionary Party
Member of the Social and Economic Council
In office 20 March 1956 – 1 July 1959
Chairman	Frans de Vries (1956–1958) Gerard Verrijn Stuart (1958–1959)
Personal details
Born	Barend Willem Biesheuvel (1920-04-05)5 April 1920 Haarlemmerliede, Netherlands
Died	29 April 2001(2001-04-29) (aged 81) Haarlem, Netherlands
Cause of death	Cardiovascular disease
Political party	Christian Democratic Appeal (from 1980)
Other political affiliations	Anti-Revolutionary Party (until 1980)
Alma mater	Free University Amsterdam (LL.B., LL.M.)
Occupation	Politician · civil servant · Jurist · Businessperson · Banker · Corporate director · Nonprofit director · Trade association executive · Lobbyist

Barend Willem Biesheuvel (pronunciation^ⓘ; 5 April 1920 – 29 April 2001) was a Dutch politician of the defunct Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) now the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and jurist who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 6 July 1971 until 11 May 1973.^[1][2]

Biesheuvel studied law at the Free University Amsterdam obtaining a Master of Laws degree and worked as a civil servant for the Provincial-executive of North Holland from September 1945 until January 1952 and as trade association executive for the Christian Farmers and Gardeners Association (CBTB) from January 1952 until July 1959 and as chairman from August 1956. Biesheuvel became a Member of the House of Representatives shortly after the number of seats was raised from 100 to 150 seats following the election of 1956 taking office on 6 November 1956 serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Agriculture, Local Government Affairs and Kingdom Relations. Biesheuvel was also selected as a Member of the European Parliament and dual served taking office on 7 March 1961. After Party Leader Sieuwert Bruins Slot announced his retirement Biesheuvel served as one of the Lijsttrekkers (top candidates) for the election of 1963 and following the election was selected as Leader and Parliamentary leader on 5 June 1963. Following a cabinet formation Biesheuvel was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries with the responsibility for Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs in the Cabinet Marijnen taking office on 24 July 1963. The Cabinet Marijnen fell on 27 February 1965 and was replaced by the Cabinet Cals with Biesheuvel continuing his offices. The Cabinet Cals fell on 14 October 1966 and was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Zijlstra with Biesheuvel again retaining his functions. For the election of 1967 Biesheuvel served as Lijsttrekker but following a difficult cabinet formation failed to achieve a coalition and returned to the House of Representatives as Parliamentary leader taking office on 23 February 1967. For the election of 1971 Biesheuvel again served as Lijsttrekker and after a successful cabinet formation formed the Cabinet Biesheuvel I and became Prime Minister of the Netherlands taking office on 6 July 1971.

The Cabinet fell on 19 July 1972 just a year into its term and was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Biesheuvel II with Biesheuvel continuing as Prime Minister. For the election of 1972 Biesheuvel served once again as Lijsttrekker but the following cabinet formation resulted in a coalition led by Labour Leader Joop den Uyl. Biesheuvel left office following the installation of the Cabinet Den Uyl on 11 May 1973 and announced his retirement and stepped down as Leader on 15 May 1973.

Biesheuvel retired from active politics at just 53 and became active in the private and public sectors as a corporate and non-profit director and served on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government, and continued to be active as a lobbyist for the European Union advocating for more European integration. Biesheuvel was known for his abilities as skillful manager and effective Debater. During his premiership, his cabinets were responsible for several major public sector reforms by stimulating further deregulation and endorsing more privatization. Biesheuvel continued to comment on political affairs as a statesman until his death at the age of 81 from cardiovascular disease. He holds the distinction as leading the last cabinet in which the prime minister was not from the largest party in the coalition, and his premiership is consistently considered both by scholars and the public to have been below average.^{[3][4][5][6][7]}