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)
incumbent
Date formed27 October 2019
Date dissolved17 March 2020
People and organisations
Head of statePhilippe of Belgium
Head of governmentSophie Wilmès
No. of ministers12
Member parties
Status in legislatureCaretaker cabinet
History
Election(s)2014 Belgian federal election
Legislature term(s)2014–2019
Budget(s)
  • 18 July 2019
  • continuing resolution (3rd)
PredecessorMichel II
SuccessorWilmès II

History

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

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.

PortfolioMinisterTook officeLeft officeParty
Prime Minister
Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès27 October 201917 March 2020MR
Deputy Prime Ministers
Minister of Justice and Director of Buildings Koen Geens27 October 201917 March 2020CD&V
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Beliris and European Affairs Didier Reynders27 October 201930 November 2019MR
Minister of Budget, Civil Service, National Lottery and Scientific Policy David Clarinval30 November 201917 March 2020MR
Minister of Development Cooperation, Finance and fighting Fiscal Fraud Alexander De Croo27 October 201917 March 2020Open Vld
Minister
Minister of Administrative Simplification, Digital Agenda, Postal Services and Telecom Philippe De Backer27 October 201917 March 2020Open Vld
Minister of the Interior and Safety Pieter De Crem27 October 201917 March 2020CD&V
Minister of Asylum, Migration, Health and Social Affairs Maggie De Block27 October 201917 March 2020Open Vld
Minister of Consumer Affairs, Disabled Persons, Economy,
Employment, Equal Rights and Fighting Poverty		 Nathalie Muylle27 October 201917 March 2020CD&V
Minister of the Middle Class, SMEs, Self-employed,
Agriculture, Social Integration and Urban Policy		 Denis Ducarme27 October 201917 March 2020MR
Minister of Budget, Civil Service, National Lottery and Scientific Policy David Clarinval27 October 201930 November 2019MR
Minister of Pensions Daniel Bacquelaine27 October 201917 March 2020MR
Minister of Mobility and the National Railway Company François Bellot27 October 201917 March 2020MR
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Defence and European Affairs Philippe Goffin30 November 201917 March 2020MR
Minister of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development Marie-Christine Marghem27 October 201917 March 2020MR

Changes in composition
  • 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]
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References
  1. https://www.politico.eu/article/sophie-wilmes-to-replace-charles-michel-as-belgian-pm/
  2. "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.
  3. 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.
  4. vrtnws.be. "Philippe Goffin vervangt Didier Reynders (MR) als minister in de federale regering" [Philippe Goffin replaces Didier Reynders (MR) as minister in federal government].
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