Word: zeeland
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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There were cries of "Vive le Prince Royal." Baudouin walked woodenly out of the chamber. That evening, the new regent got down to work, accepted the resignation of the government and began consultations with political leaders to select a Premier. Social Christian Paul van Zeeland accepted. Baudouin's father, meanwhile, who had so stubbornly and desperately wanted to be King of the Belgians, stayed in gloomy Laeken palace, a virtual prisoner at his shadow court. This week, Leopold flew to Geneva, brought back his wife, the beautiful Princess de Rethy, to brighten the shadows...
That did it. The Socialists scorned the royal word. The Liberals split bitterly over the issue, while the pro-Leopoldist Christian Socialists (Catholics) sneered at them as "suburban Machiavellians." The Liberals angrily retorted that the Catholics' Premier-designate Paul van Zeeland was the real Machiavellian-he had meddled with Liberal solidarity. "We are ready to eat the pie," said Liberal Leader Roger Motz, "if it is prepared by a different pastry cook...
...would not bake. Van Zeeland reported a total failure to Regent Prince Charles, advised a new election. The election was scheduled for June 4. It would be the third vote on the royal question within a year. Sensible Belgians, who were not letting their prolonged constitutional crisis affect their continued economic prosperity, were saying: "The English work for their government, the French work against their government, but we Belgians work despite our government...
...King's speech, written after a conference with Christian Socialist Premier-designate Paul van Zeeland, was broadcast first in a somewhat heavy French, for Wallonia, where Leopold had lost in the March 12 plebiscite; then in a thin, nervous Flemish, for Flanders, which had voted for his return. Leopold recognized that he should reign again only with the approval of a "great majority" (he got an overall 57.68% in the plebiscite), and with the "loyal support of all political groups...
Only a joint session of Parliament could summon the King home, but Premier-designate Van Zeeland first had to form a government and present it to the separate chambers for votes of confidence. In two weeks of trying, he has had no success. The next step would be "clarifications" of the King's message. This might take weeks, and might not produce any agreement on what the King had promised...