 2007–2011 Belgian political crisis
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The Van Rompuy Government was the federal government of Belgium from 30 December 2008 until 15 November 2009.[1] Herman Van Rompuy was nominated as the first President of the European Council and resigned shortly after as Premier. It took office when the Flemish Christian Democrat Herman Van Rompuy (Christian Democratic and Flemish, CD&V) was sworn in as Prime Minister after the Leterme I Government fell on 22 December 2008.
On 18 December 2008, Yves Leterme offered his government's resignation to King Albert after a scandal erupted surrounding the investigation of the sale of the failing Fortis bank to BNP Paribas.[2] Leterme, Jo Vandeurzen, and Didier Reynders were accused of violating the separation of powers by trying to influence the Court of Appeals and of exerting improper influence by the First Chairman of the Court of Cassation.[3] Three days later the resignation was accepted by the king.
To be official, the Van Rompuy I government needed a vote of confidence from the Chamber of Representatives. It received the vote of confidence on 2 January 2009.[4]
The government was succeeded on 24 November 2009 by the Leterme II Government.
Composition
editThe Van Rompuy I Government comprises 15 ministers and seven secretaries of state. Its initial composition is as follows:[5]
| Minister | Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | Herman Van Rompuy | CD&V | |
| Deputy Prime Minister - Finance and Institutional Reforms | Didier Reynders | MR | |
| Deputy Prime Minister - Social Affairs and Public Health | Laurette Onkelinx | PS | |
| Deputy Prime Minister - Budget | Guy Vanhengel | Open VLD | |
| Deputy Prime Minister - Civil Service and Public Enterprise | Steven Vanackere | CD&V | |
| Deputy Prime Minister - Employment and Equal Opportunities | Joëlle Milquet | CDH | |
| Justice | Stefaan De Clerck | CD&V | |
| Defence | Pieter De Crem | CD&V | |
| Pensions and Large Cities | Michel Daerden | PS | |
| Climate and Energy | Paul Magnette | PS | |
| Development Cooperation | Charles Michel | MR | |
| SMEs, the Self-employed, Agriculture and Science Policy | Sabine Laruelle | MR | |
| Interior | Annemie Turtelboom | Open VLD | |
| Enterprise and Simplification | Vincent Van Quickenborne | Open VLD | |
| Foreign Affairs | Yves Leterme | CD&V | |
| Secretary of State | Name | Party | |
| Mobility (Prime Minister) | Etienne Schouppe | CD&V | |
| Coordination of the Fight against Fraud (Prime Minister) | Carl Devlies | CD&V | |
| Finance (Finance) | Bernard Clerfayt | MR | |
| Preparation of the European Presidency (Foreign Affairs) | Olivier Chastel | MR | |
| Social Integration and the Fight against Poverty (Social Affairs and Public Health) | Philippe Courard | PS | |
| Disabled Persons (Social Affairs and Public Health) | Jean-Marc Delizée | PS | |
| Budget (Budget), Family Policy (Justice/Employment) and Asylum and Immigration (Prime Minister) | Melchior Wathelet Jr. | CDH |
Government reshuffle
editOn 17 July 2009, as a consequence of the regional elections, the government was reshuffled:
- Karel De Gucht (VLD), who was appointed European Commissioner was succeeded by Yves Leterme (CD&V) as minister of Foreign Affairs
- Guido De Padt (VLD) was replaced as minister of the interior by Annemie Turtelboom (VLD); De Padt was appointed government commissioner for the internal audit of the federal government.
- Guy Vanhengel (VLD) entered the government as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Budget
- Melchior Wathelet jr. stayed on as state secretary for the budget but received the competences Asylum and immigration which were previously held by Minister Turtelboom.
- Marie Arena (PS) was replaced as minister of Pensions and Large Cities by Michel Daerden
- Julie Fernandez-Fernandez (PS) was replaced as state secretary for Disabled Persons by Jean-Marc Delizée (PS). Delizée in turn was replaced as state secretary for the Fight against Poverty by Philippe Courard (PS). Courard also received the competences of social integration from Arena.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Leterme II heeft eed afgelegd De Morgen, 2009-11-25
- ^ Belgium Prime Minister offers resignation over banking deal
- ^ "Belgian PM's resignation accepted". BBC News. 2008-12-22. Retrieved 2008-12-22.
- ^ La Chambre a confiance
- ^ "Herman Van Rompuy named Prime Minister" (in Dutch). belgium.be. 2008-12-30. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2008-12-30.