Michel II Government

The Michel II Government was the Federal Government of Belgium, led by Prime Minister Charles Michel from 18 December 2018 until 27 October 2019 when it was succeeded by the Wilmès I Government. It was a centre minority coalition cabinet of Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V), the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open Vld) and the Reformist Movement (MR). On 26 October 2019, it was announced that Sophie Wilmès would take over the role of Prime Minister from Michel on 1 November 2019, and form a new government.[1]

Michel II Government
95th Cabinet of Belgium (since 1830)
Date formed	9 December 2018
Date dissolved	27 October 2019
People and organisations
Head of state	Philippe of Belgium
Head of government	Charles Michel
No. of ministers	12
Member parties	MR (Walloon) CD&V (Flemish) Open Vld (Flemish)
Status in legislature	Minority coalition 52 / 150
History
Election(s)	2014 Belgian federal election
Legislature term(s)	2014–2019
Budget(s)	18 July 2019 continuing resolution (3rd)
Incoming formation	8 December 2018
Outgoing formation	18 December 2018
Predecessor	Michel I
Successor	Wilmès I

History

The government came into existence on 9 December 2018 following the exit of New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) from the Michel I Government. As the Prime Minister did not offer the government's resignation to the King until the 18th, it is constitutionally still the same government as the one that started in 2014, albeit a heavily reshuffled government following the resignation of all N-VA ministers and secretaries of state.[2] Politically, however, it is in an entirely different situation, as it has no support from N-VA and thus operates as a new government.

On 10 December, several parties had called for the government to propose a motion of confidence.[3][4]

Michel attempted to continue with the minority cabinet with support from the centre-left opposition, who instead announced on 18 December that they would submit a motion of no confidence against the cabinet.[5]

On 18 December, Premier Michel offered his resignation to King Philippe.[5][6]

On 20 December, the Chamber of Representatives almost unanimously voted a draft budget to enable provisional spending for the first three months of 2019 based on the 2018 budget.[7][8]

The King accepted Michel's resignation on 21 December after consulting party leaders.[9] The outgoing cabinet continues governing as a caretaker government, likely until after the European Parliament, Belgian regional and federal elections of 26 May 2019.[10]

On 2 July 2019, Prime Minister Charles Michel was elected to become the next President of the European Council as from 1 December 2019.[11] With no new government formed, Sophie Wilmès was appointed to take over the role of Prime Minister from 27 October 2019, to allow Charles Michel sufficient time to prepare for his role as President of the European Council.[1]

Composition

Portfolio	Minister		Took office	Left office	Party
Prime Minister
Prime Minister		Charles Michel	9 December 2018	27 October 2019	MR
Deputy Prime Ministers
Minister of Consumer Affairs, Disabled Persons, Economy, Employment, Equal Rights and Fighting Poverty		Kris Peeters	9 December 2018	25 June 2019	CD&V
Minister of Justice and Director of Buildings		Koen Geens	9 December 2018	27 October 2019	CD&V
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Beliris and European Affairs		Didier Reynders	9 December 2018	27 October 2019	MR
Minister of Development Cooperation, Finance and fighting Fiscal Fraud		Alexander De Croo	9 December 2018	27 October 2019	Open Vld
Minister
Minister of Administrative Simplification, Digital Agenda, Postal Services and Telecom		Philippe De Backer	9 December 2018	27 October 2019	Open Vld
Minister of the Interior and Safety		Pieter De Crem	9 December 2018	27 October 2019	CD&V
Minister of Asylum, Migration, Health and Social Affairs		Maggie De Block	9 December 2018	27 October 2019	Open Vld
Minister of Consumer Affairs, Disabled Persons, Economy, Employment, Equal Rights and Fighting Poverty		Wouter Beke	25 June 2019	2 October 2019	CD&V
		Nathalie Muylle	2 October 2019	27 October 2019	CD&V
Minister of the Middle Class, SMEs, Self-employed, Agriculture, Social Integration and Urban Policy		Denis Ducarme	9 December 2018	27 October 2019	MR
Minister of Budget, Civil Service, National Lottery and Scientific Policy		Sophie Wilmès	9 December 2018	27 October 2019	MR
Minister of Pensions		Daniel Bacquelaine	9 December 2018	27 October 2019	MR
Minister of Mobility and the National Railway Company		François Bellot	9 December 2018	27 October 2019	MR
Minister of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development		Marie-Christine Marghem	9 December 2018	27 October 2019	MR

Changes in composition

• On June 25, 2019, one month after the 2019 European Parliament elections, Kris Peeters offered his resignation as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Consumer Affairs, Disabled Persons, Economy, Employment, Equal Rights and Fighting Poverty to take up his seat in the European Parliament,[12] with CD&V appointing party president Wouter Beke as his replacement two days later, with the exception that the role of Deputy Minister shifted to Koen Geens.[13]
• On October 2, 2019, Wouter Beke was in turn replaced by Nathalie Muylle as Beke took up the position as Flemish Minister for Welfare in the Flemish Government.[14]

References

1. "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.
2. "Grondwetsspecialisten zijn formeel: "Juridisch gezien is dit geen nieuwe regering en is er dus geen probleem"". Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 10 December 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
3. "N-VA, SP.A, Groen en Vlaams Belang vragen een vertrouwensstemming in het parlement". vrtnws.be (in Dutch). VRT. 10 December 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
4. "Wat is een vertrouwensstemming en moet de regering het vertrouwen van het parlement vragen?". vrtnws.be (in Dutch). VRT. 10 December 2018.
5. "Michel dient ontslag regering in na groen-rode motie van wantrouwen" (in Dutch). De Morgen. 18 December 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
6. "Herlees: Koning houdt ontslag regering in beraad, "Beste scenario om te ontsnappen aan vervroegde verkiezingen"". vrtnws.be (in Dutch). 18 December 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
7. "Politieke crisis: Kamer keurt noodbegroting goed". Knack (in Dutch). 20 December 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
8. "Kamer keurt 'noodbegroting' goed". De Standaard (in Dutch). 20 December 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
9. "Koning zet consultaties ook morgen nog verder: geen gesprek met Vlaams Belang". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). 20 December 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
10. "Koning Filip aanvaardt ontslag regering-Michel, regering in lopende zaken en geen vervroegde verkiezingen" (in Dutch). De Morgen. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
11. "Wat met de federale regering en de MR nu Michel Europees president wordt?" [What will happen to federal government and MR with Michel becoming European president?] (in Dutch). De Morgen. 2 July 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
12. vrtnws.be. "Kris Peeters (CD&V) biedt ontslag aan bij premier Michel en kiest nu voluit voor het Europees Parlement" [Kris Peeters (CD&V) offers resignation to prime minister Michel and chooses European Parliament].
13. vrtnws.be. "Wouter Beke replaces Kris Peeters in federal government" [Wouter Beke vervangt Kris Peeters in de federale regering].
14. vrtnws.be. "CD&V-Kamerlid Nathalie Muylle vervangt Wouter Beke in de federale regering" [CD&V Chamber of Representatives member Nathalie Muylle replaces Wouter Beke in Federal Government].