Wilmès I Government
The Wilmès I Government was a caretaker[1] Federal Government of Belgium, led by Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès, the first ever female Prime Minister of Belgium.
Wilmès I Government | |
|---|---|
96th Cabinet of Belgium (since 1830) | |
| Date formed | 27 October 2019 |
| Date dissolved | 17 March 2020 |
| People and organisations | |
| Head of state | Philippe of Belgium |
| Head of government | Sophie Wilmès |
| No. of ministers | 12 |
| Member parties | |
| Status in legislature | Caretaker minority coalition
|
| History | |
| Election(s) | 2014 Belgian federal election |
| Legislature term(s) | 2014–2019 |
| Budget(s) |
|
| Predecessor | Michel II |
| Successor | Wilmès II |
History edit
The creation of the Wilmès Government was announced on 26 October 2019, when previous Prime Minister Charles Michel announced he would be succeeded by Sophie Wilmès ultimately on 1 November 2019, effectively forming a new government.[2] Charles Michel left his post as he had been elected to become the next President of the European Council as from 1 December 2019 and wanted to have sufficient time to prepare for his role as President of the European Council hence leaving already by November.
The Wilmès Government was governing as a caretaker government, until a new cabinet was formed based on the results of the federal elections of 26 May 2019, for which negotiations were still ongoing. Hence the government was a continuation of the centre minority coalition cabinet of Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V), the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open Vld) and the Reformist Movement (MR) which together constituted the Michel II Government. On 16 March, the Wilmès Government was given support by several opposition parties to handle the coronavirus outbreak in Belgium, for which the cabinet is going to be supported by a majority in parliament by granting it special powers under the form of the Wilmès II Government.[3] The opposition parties were giving support for three months to take corona measures, with a possible further three month extension, are the socialists (sp.a & PS), the greens (Groen and Ecolo), the cdH and DéFI, leaving only the N-VA and the PVDA/PTB and Vlaams Belang in the opposition.
Composition edit
The composition of the government was similar to that of the Michel II Government, with the only differences being Sophie Wilmès taking over the role of Charles Michel as Prime Minister and David Clarinval coming in to replace Wilmès as Minister of Budget, Civil Service, National Lottery and Scientific Policy.
| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office | Party | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | |||||||||
| Prime Minister | 27 October 2019 | 17 March 2020 | MR | ||||||
| Deputy Prime Ministers | |||||||||
| Minister of Justice and Director of Buildings | 27 October 2019 | 17 March 2020 | CD&V | ||||||
| Minister of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Beliris and European Affairs | 27 October 2019 | 30 November 2019 | MR | ||||||
| Minister of Budget, Civil Service, National Lottery and Scientific Policy | 30 November 2019 | 17 March 2020 | MR | ||||||
| Minister of Development Cooperation, Finance and fighting Fiscal Fraud | 27 October 2019 | 17 March 2020 | Open Vld | ||||||
| Minister | |||||||||
| Minister of Administrative Simplification, Digital Agenda, Postal Services and Telecom | 27 October 2019 | 17 March 2020 | Open Vld | ||||||
| Minister of the Interior and Safety | 27 October 2019 | 17 March 2020 | CD&V | ||||||
| Minister of Asylum, Migration, Health and Social Affairs | 27 October 2019 | 17 March 2020 | Open Vld | ||||||
| Minister of Consumer Affairs, Disabled Persons, Economy, Employment, Equal Rights and Fighting Poverty | Nathalie Muylle | 27 October 2019 | 17 March 2020 | CD&V | |||||
| Minister of the Middle Class, SMEs, Self-employed, Agriculture, Social Integration and Urban Policy | 27 October 2019 | 17 March 2020 | MR | ||||||
| Minister of Budget, Civil Service, National Lottery and Scientific Policy | 27 October 2019 | 30 November 2019 | MR | ||||||
| Minister of Pensions | 27 October 2019 | 17 March 2020 | MR | ||||||
| Minister of Mobility and the National Railway Company | 27 October 2019 | 17 March 2020 | MR | ||||||
| Minister of Foreign Affairs, Defence and European Affairs | 30 November 2019 | 17 March 2020 | MR | ||||||
| Minister of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development | 27 October 2019 | 17 March 2020 | MR | ||||||
Changes in composition edit
- On 30 November 2019, Philippe Goffin took the place of Didier Reynders, taking over the portfolios of Foreign Affairs and Defence. Reynders left his post to take up the role of European Commissioner for Justice in the Von der Leyen Commission. David Clarinval was appointed the new Deputy Prime Minister for the Mouvement Réformateur[4]
References edit
- ^ "Sophie Wilmès to replace Charles Michel as Belgian PM – POLITICO".
- ^ "Sophie Wilmès (MR) wordt nieuwe premier in lopende zaken: "Alles aan doen om de stabiliteit te verzekeren"" [Sophie Wilmès (MR) to become new Prime Minister of caretaker cabinet: "Give it all to ensure stability"] (in Dutch). vrt.be. 26 October 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- ^ Touriel, Aubry (2020-03-15). "Le gouvernement Wilmès va être doté de pouvoirs spéciaux pendant 6 mois". RTBF Info (in French). Retrieved 2020-03-15.
- ^ vrtnws.be (30 November 2019). "Philippe Goffin vervangt Didier Reynders (MR) als minister in de federale regering" [Philippe Goffin replaces Didier Reynders (MR) as minister in federal government].