Word: leopoldists
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King Leopold would have to continue cooling his royal heels in his Swiss exile. After 46 days of haggling over the question of his return (TIME, July 18), Belgium's politicians last week put together a cabinet. Fifteen portfolios were divided between ardently pro-Leopoldist Christian Socialists (eight) and mildly pro-Leopoldist Liberals (seven), leaving the adamantly anti-Leopoldist Socialists...
Stopped cold, Van Zeeland stepped out. Regent Charles next asked a less ardent Leopoldist Catholic, Frans van Cauwelaert, to sound out the parties. This time the Socialists cautiously thought they might accept if certain stiff conditions were met: 1) a public statement of charges against the King and his defense; 2) requirement of a 70-75% majority in the plebiscite before the King could return; 3) if the King fails of this majority, he must abdicate...
...Consult the People." In the bustling campaign preceding election day, Belgium's leading party, the Christian Socialists (Roman Catholics) had borne the Leopoldist banner. They counted on the backing of Catholic Flemings, who are partisans of Leopold's handsome commoner wife, Flemish Mary Liliane...
...Leopoldist argument was made by the Catholic ex-Premier Paul van Zeeland: "The Belgian is a man who likes things in their right places. At the bottom of every Belgian heart is the feeling that the royal question has not been put in its right place . . . We believe the King should come back, but, of course, only if most of the people want him back . . . We want to consult the people...
...anti-Leopoldist big gun was Socialist Premier Paul-Henri Spaak. Boomed Spaak: "The referendum would not be held without fighting in Belgium...