Van Rompuy I Government
Encyclopedia
The Van Rompuy I Government was the federal government
of Belgium
from 30 December 2008 until 15 November 2009. 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
. 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
. 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.
The government was succeeded on November 24, 2009 by the Leterme II Government
.
Belgian federal government
The Cabinet of Belgium is the executive branch of the Belgian federal government, consisting of ministers and secretaries of state drawn from the political parties which form the governing coalition. Formally, the ministers are appointed by the King...
of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
from 30 December 2008 until 15 November 2009. Herman Van Rompuy
Herman Van Rompuy
Herman Achille Van Rompuy is the first long-term and full-time President of the European Council...
was nominated as the first President of the European Council
President of the European Council
The President of the European Council is a principal representative of the European Union on the world stage, and the person presiding over and driving forward the work of the European Council...
and resigned shortly after as Premier. It took office when the Flemish Christian Democrat Herman Van Rompuy
Herman Van Rompuy
Herman Achille Van Rompuy is the first long-term and full-time President of the European Council...
(Christian Democratic and Flemish, CD&V) was sworn in as Prime Minister after the Leterme I Government
Leterme I Government
The Leterme I Government was the federal government of Belgium from 20 March 2008 to 22 December 2008. It took office when the Flemish Christian democrat Yves Leterme was sworn in as Prime Minister...
fell on 22 December 2008.
On 18 December 2008, Yves Leterme
Yves Leterme
Yves Camille Désiré Leterme is a Flemish Belgian politician, a leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party , and the 48th Prime Minister of Belgium.Leterme was the Prime Minister of Belgium from March 2008 to December 2008...
offered his government's resignation to King Albert
Albert II of Belgium
Albert II is the current reigning King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
after a scandal erupted surrounding the investigation of the sale of the failing Fortis bank to BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas S.A. is a global banking group, headquartered in Paris, with its second global headquarters in London. In October 2010 BNP Paribas was ranked by Bloomberg and Forbes as the largest bank and largest company in the world by assets with over $3.1 trillion. It was formed through the merger...
. Leterme, Jo Vandeurzen
Jo Vandeurzen
Johan Maria Gerardus "Jo" Vandeurzen is a Belgian politician, member of Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams , a centrist Flemish Christian Democratic party. He was the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Justice and Institutional Reforms in the Leterme I Government , which took office on 20...
, and Didier Reynders
Didier Reynders
Didier J.L. Reynders is a Belgian politician and a member of the Mouvement Réformateur . He is Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and Institutional Reforms in the Van Rompuy I Government, which took office on 30 December 2008.He was born in Liège as the youngest in a family of...
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
Court of Cassation (Belgium)
The Court of Cassation is the main court of last resort in Belgium.It was originally modelled after the French Cour de cassation. Its jurisdiction and powers are similar to those of its French counterpart....
. 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.
The government was succeeded on November 24, 2009 by the Leterme II Government
Leterme II Government
The Leterme II Government was the federal government of Belgium from 24 November 2009 to 26 April 2010. it is still the caretaker government. It took office when the Flemish Christian Democrat Yves Leterme was sworn in as Prime Minister. It followed the Van Rompuy I Government which ended...
.
Composition
The Van Rompuy I Government comprises 15 ministers and seven secretaries of state. Its initial composition is as follows:| Minister | Name | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | Herman Van Rompuy Herman Van Rompuy Herman Achille Van Rompuy is the first long-term and full-time President of the European Council... |
CD&V |
| Deputy Prime Minister - Finance and Institutional Reforms | Didier Reynders Didier Reynders Didier J.L. Reynders is a Belgian politician and a member of the Mouvement Réformateur . He is Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and Institutional Reforms in the Van Rompuy I Government, which took office on 30 December 2008.He was born in Liège as the youngest in a family of... |
MR Reformist Movement The Reformist Movement is a French-speaking liberal political party in Belgium. The party was in coalition as part of the Leterme II Government, and was also part of the governing coalition in the Walloon Region and Brussels-Capital Region until the 2004 regional elections... |
| Deputy Prime Minister - Social Affairs and Public Health | Laurette Onkelinx Laurette Onkelinx Laurette A.J. Onkelinx is a Belgian politician from the Francophone Socialist Party. She is the Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health in the Belgian federal government, i.e., the Van Rompuy I Government, which took office on 30 December 2008.-Biography:Born to Gaston Onkelinx and Germaine... |
PS Socialist Party (francophone Belgium) The Socialist Party is a Francophone social-democratic political party in Belgium. As of the 2010 elections, it is the second largest party in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and the largest Francophone party... |
| Deputy Prime Minister - Budget | Guy Vanhengel Guy Vanhengel Guy Vanhengel is a Flemish-Brussels politician for the Flemish Liberals and Democrats .Vanhengel graduated as a teacher and taught class until 1981. After his army service he started working as a spokesperson to the then secretary of state Annemie Neyts... |
Open VLD |
| Deputy Prime Minister - Civil Service and Public Enterprise | Steven Vanackere Steven Vanackere Steven Vanackere, born 4 February 1964 in Wevelgem, Belgium, is a Flemish politician, member of the Christian Democratic and Flemish Party . He holds the portfolios of Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Institutional Reform in the Leterme II Government... |
CD&V |
| Deputy Prime Minister - Employment and Equal Opportunities | Joëlle Milquet Joëlle Milquet Joëlle F.G.M. Milquet is a Belgian politician from the Humanist Democratic Centre .-Education:... |
CDH Humanist Democratic Centre The Humanist Democratic Centre is a Francophone Christian democratic political party in Belgium. The cdH currently participates in the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, the Government of the French Community and the Walloon Government.- History :... |
| Justice | Stefaan De Clerck Stefaan De Clerck Stefaan Maria Joris Yolanda De Clerck is a Belgian politician and former Minister of Justice of Belgium. He was Minister of Justice from 1995 until 1998 as well, when he resigned following the escape from prison of Marc Dutroux. He has served as chairman of Christian Democratic and Flemish party... |
CD&V |
| Defence | Pieter De Crem Pieter De Crem Pieter Frans Norbert Jozef Raymond De Crem is a Belgian, Flemish politician and member of Christian Democratic and Flemish . He is the current Minister of Defense in the Belgian federal government. He has been a Member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives since 1995. He headed the CD&V... |
CD&V |
| Pensions and Large Cities | Michel Daerden Michel Daerden Michel Daerden is a francophone Belgian politician, a member of the Parti Socialiste, and a Finance auditor... |
PS Socialist Party (francophone Belgium) The Socialist Party is a Francophone social-democratic political party in Belgium. As of the 2010 elections, it is the second largest party in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and the largest Francophone party... |
| Climate and Energy | Paul Magnette Paul Magnette Paul Magnette is a Belgian politician for the PS and former political science professor at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles .... |
PS Socialist Party (francophone Belgium) The Socialist Party is a Francophone social-democratic political party in Belgium. As of the 2010 elections, it is the second largest party in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and the largest Francophone party... |
| Development Cooperation | Charles Michel Charles Michel (Belgian politician) Charles Michel is a Belgian politician, and the son of Louis Michel. As of February 2011, Charles Michel is the Chairman of the francophone liberal party MR.... |
MR Reformist Movement The Reformist Movement is a French-speaking liberal political party in Belgium. The party was in coalition as part of the Leterme II Government, and was also part of the governing coalition in the Walloon Region and Brussels-Capital Region until the 2004 regional elections... |
| SMEs, the Self-employed, Agriculture and Science Policy | Sabine Laruelle Sabine Laruelle Sabine Laruelle is a Belgian politician. She was Belgian Minister of Economy, the Self-employed and Agriculture in the Verhofstadt III government inaugurated on 21 December 2007. She is now Minister for SMEs, the Self-employed, Agriculture and Science Policy in the Leterme I Government, which took... |
MR Reformist Movement The Reformist Movement is a French-speaking liberal political party in Belgium. The party was in coalition as part of the Leterme II Government, and was also part of the governing coalition in the Walloon Region and Brussels-Capital Region until the 2004 regional elections... |
| Interior | Annemie Turtelboom | Open VLD |
| Enterprise and Simplification | Vincent Van Quickenborne Vincent Van Quickenborne Vincent Paul Marie Van Quickenborne is a Belgian politician, as a member of the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats party.... |
Open VLD |
| Foreign Affairs | Yves Leterme Yves Leterme Yves Camille Désiré Leterme is a Flemish Belgian politician, a leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party , and the 48th Prime Minister of Belgium.Leterme was the Prime Minister of Belgium from March 2008 to December 2008... |
CD&V |
| Secretary of State | Name | Party |
| Mobility (Prime Minister) | Etienne Schouppe Etienne Schouppe Etienne Adolf Schouppe is a Belgian politician. He is a member of the Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams party. Before his entry into politics, he was executive manager of the National Railway Company of Belgium. Schouppe was a member of the Belgian Senate from 2003 to 2010 and since 2008 the State... |
CD&V |
| Coordination of the Fight against Fraud (Prime Minister) | Carl Devlies | CD&V |
| Finance (Finance) | Bernard Clerfayt Bernard Clerfayt Bernard Clerfayt is a Belgian politician. He has been the mayor of Schaerbeek since 2001 and is currently vice-president of the Front Démocratique des Francophones as well as Belgian Secretary of State for Finance.... |
MR Reformist Movement The Reformist Movement is a French-speaking liberal political party in Belgium. The party was in coalition as part of the Leterme II Government, and was also part of the governing coalition in the Walloon Region and Brussels-Capital Region until the 2004 regional elections... |
| Preparation of the European Presidency Presidency of the Council of the European Union The Presidency of the Council of the European Union is the responsibility for the functioning of the Council of the European Union that rotates between the member states of the European Union every six months. The presidency is not a single president but rather the task is undertaken by a national... (Foreign Affairs) |
Olivier Chastel Olivier Chastel Olivier Chastel is a Belgian politician and a member of the Mouvement Réformateur .He graduated as a pharmacist at the Université Libre de Bruxelles in 1987... |
MR Reformist Movement The Reformist Movement is a French-speaking liberal political party in Belgium. The party was in coalition as part of the Leterme II Government, and was also part of the governing coalition in the Walloon Region and Brussels-Capital Region until the 2004 regional elections... |
| Social Integration and the Fight against Poverty (Social Affairs and Public Health) | Philippe Courard | PS Socialist Party (francophone Belgium) The Socialist Party is a Francophone social-democratic political party in Belgium. As of the 2010 elections, it is the second largest party in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and the largest Francophone party... |
| Disabled Persons (Social Affairs and Public Health) | Jean-Marc Delizée | PS Socialist Party (francophone Belgium) The Socialist Party is a Francophone social-democratic political party in Belgium. As of the 2010 elections, it is the second largest party in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and the largest Francophone party... |
| Budget (Budget), Family Policy (Justice/Employment) and Asylum and Immigration (Prime Minister) | Melchior Wathelet Jr. Melchior Wathelet Jr. Melchior Wathelet is a Belgian politician and member of the Centre démocrate humaniste . His father is Melchior Wathelet... |
CDH Humanist Democratic Centre The Humanist Democratic Centre is a Francophone Christian democratic political party in Belgium. The cdH currently participates in the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, the Government of the French Community and the Walloon Government.- History :... |
Government reshuffle
On July 17, 2009, as a consequence of the regional elections, the government was reshuffled:- Karel de GuchtKarel De GuchtKarel Lodewijk Georgette Emmerence De Gucht is a Belgian politician who has been the European Commissioner for Trade since 2010...
(VLD), who was appointed European Commissioner was succeeded by Yves LetermeYves LetermeYves Camille Désiré Leterme is a Flemish Belgian politician, a leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party , and the 48th Prime Minister of Belgium.Leterme was the Prime Minister of Belgium from March 2008 to December 2008...
(CD&V) as minister of Foreign Affairs - Guido De Padt (VLD) was replaced as minister of the interior by Annemie TurtelboomAnnemie TurtelboomAnnemie Turtelboom is a Belgian politician and a member of the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats. She became Belgium's minister of the interior in the Van Rompuy I Government on 17 July 2009 , and retained that office in the Leterme II Government, which took office on 24 November 2009 .Before...
(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 ArenaMarie ArenaMarie Arena is a French-speaking Belgian politician, member of the Francophone Socialist Party . She was the Minister-President of the French Community of Belgium from July 2004 until March 2008. She then became Minister for Social Integration, Pensions and Large Cities in the federal government,...
(PS) was replaced as minister of Pensions and Large Cities by Michel DaerdenMichel DaerdenMichel Daerden is a francophone Belgian politician, a member of the Parti Socialiste, and a Finance auditor... - 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.