King Philippe and Government Formations; 2014 -

[Duc_et_Pair]

Could anyone please provide a link to the text of the oath? Does it include any pledge of allegiance to the King?

Members of Parliament: Je jure d’observer la Constitution (I swear to observe the Constitution).

Ministers of the regional Governments: Je jure d’observer la Constitution (I swear to observe the Constitution).

Ministers of the federal Government: Je jure fidélité au Roi, obéissance à la Constitution et aux lois du Peuple belge (I swear fidelity to the King, obedience to the Constitution and to the laws of the Belgian people). This Oath is in the pipeline to become the same as the two other Oaths.

The Belgian procedure is quite laissez-faire, laissez-passer. The intended Prime Minister collects names and that was it. In the Netherlands or in Germany there needs to be an investigation of antecedents, a security check, a check of criminal records, a clearance of financial interests and a check on "other topics which may be of interest".

Yesterday it became known that the 7 parties agreed to form a coalition and whoppa, there is a fleet of ministers. No check, no debate, nothing. Amazing!

 

[Lady Daly]

Members of Parliament: Je jure d’observer la Constitution (I swear to observe the Constitution).

Ministers of the regional Governments: Je jure d’observer la Constitution (I swear to observe the Constitution).

Ministers of the federal Government: Je jure fidélité au Roi, obéissance à la Constitution et aux lois du Peuple belge (I swear fidelity to the King, obedience to the Constitution and to the laws of the Belgian people). This Oath is in the pipeline to become the same as the two other Oaths.

The Belgian procedure is quite laissez-faire, laissez-passer. The intended Prime Minister collects names and that was it. In the Netherlands or in Germany there needs to be an investigation of antecedents, a security check, a check of criminal records, a clearance of financial interests and a check on "other topics which may be of interest".

Yesterday it became known that the 7 parties agreed to form a coalition and whoppa, there is a fleet of ministers. No check, no debate, nothing. Amazing!

Going forward, is the King's "job" done for now as far as the forming of a new government or are there other oversights he is tasked with?

How is it known there have been no security checks, etc, aren't a majority of these participants well known within the government already.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Going forward, is the King's "job" done for now as far as the forming of a new government or are there other oversights he is tasked with?

How is it known there have been no security checks, etc, aren't a majority of these participants well known within the government already.

The King has no formal role anymore. His job was listening to the chairs of the many parties and then send in pre-informateurs, then pre- formateurs, then informateur, then formateurs and finally see a Prime Minister whom sees "his" team collected by the 7 chairs of the 7 parties forming this Coalition.

The Oath ceremony is also quite a hasty affair. No dress code and there are ministers without tie and it is the King who simply walks past the new ministers, guided by the Prime Minister. In neighbouring Netherlands the ministers are required to wear jacquet ( picture ) and the ministers step forward one by one to say the Oath. The King remains in the centre ( picture ).

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Immediately after the Oath the brand new minister of Work & Pensions, Mr Pierre-Yves Dermagne, said in an interview on to Villa Politica on the Belgian Dutch-speaking television: "I am, was and remain a convinced republican".

But he just pledged "fidélité au Roi" was the question of Villa Politica?

According to Mr Dermagne he was just "respecting" the current system, no more, no less. Mr Dermagne is not only known as an anti-monarchist, he is also an outspoken regionalist, wishing to see the Belgian national state bare-boned to the minimum in favour of the regions.