TWO-PARTY GOVERNMENT IN BELGIUM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27157, 12 August 1949, Page 7

TWO-PARTY GOVERNMENT IN BELGIUM

NZP A—Reuter—Copyright Rec. 8 p.m. i BRUSSELS, Aug. 10. The Belgian Liberal Party agreed to-night to join 'the Catholics in a new two-party Government, ending the country’s 45-day-old Cabinet crisis. The Liberals voted in favour of union by 70 votes to 51. Their decision follows the refusal of the Socialist Party, led by the Acting Prime Minister. Mr Paul Henri Spaak. to enter a three-party Cabinet. The Social Christian Party leader, Mr Gaston Eyskens. will be the new Prime Minister. It is understood that the question of the return of King Leopold will be left temporarily in abeyance. The Catholics have nine posts and the Liberals eight. The Government includes:--'National Defence, Mr Albert Deveze. who is also Vice-Premier; Finance. Mr Henri Liebaeri; and Foreign Affairs, Mr Paul Van Zeeland. Mr Eyskens said the Cabinet would on November 16 present a declaration of policy to Parliament and ask for a vote of confidence The News Chronicle thought it was doub ful •whether the new Coalition of the Right in Belgium would lead to a greater degree of stability in the country's politics. “ The Socialists in the Opposition are likely to make things more difficult for the Catholic Party;. than they did as members of the Government, because they will always have to be watching that the Communists do not steal their thunder.”