P.M. Lubbers, who transformed The Netherlands into a European leading belt tightener, is convinced that the deployment of the missiles is necessary, though a decision is yet to be made.

The crunch and the cruise

Britain’s no-nonsense Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher stopped by The Hague not long ago to call on her Dutch counterpart, Ruud Lubbers. As conversation turned to their mutual attempts to impose economic austerity, the Dutch Christian Democratic leader outlined his bold program of budgetary cutbacks. Thatcher…