ABSTRACT
After the Van Agt II government broke down in May 1982, elections were held in September 1982, in which not the CDA but the PvdA became largest party. When the distribution of cabinet portfolios was settled, the Lubbers I two party government took office on 4 November 1982. The formation of this government led by a Christian Democrat was the shortest since 1967, but the coalition agreement impressed all parties, interest groups, and the media. A subject inherited from the previous government was secondary education reform. The next issue that divided the prospective coalition parties was euthanasia. With regard to nuclear weapons, a procedural arrangement containing a postponement of the decision on cruise missiles and a substantive implicit compromise on existing nuclear military tasks were made in government formation. In mid-1983, the government presented the Medianota, a white paper on media policy. Using the Medianota as a basis, the government was expected to formulate a new media Act.
