sentences:  After the Parliamentary leader of the Social Democratic Workers' Party in the House of Representatives Willem Albarda was appointed as Minister of Water Management in the Cabinet De Geer II Drees was chosen to succeed him en became the Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives, taking office on 10 August 1939.On 10 May 1940 Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands and the government fled to London to escape the German occupation.During World War II Drees continued to serve as a Member of the House of Representatives but in reality the "de facto" political influence of the House of Representatives was marginalized.