tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4057487038565855826.post6822676732524525841..comments2024-02-21T08:52:55.878+00:00Comments on Your Freedom and Ours: Is there a Belgian Prime Minister?Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799545178433498944noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4057487038565855826.post-57586223434747973802010-09-03T13:19:03.000+01:002010-09-03T13:19:03.000+01:00Who am I to argue with a politician's website?...Who am I to argue with a politician's website? ;-)Helennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4057487038565855826.post-19129896485452844332010-09-03T12:30:15.000+01:002010-09-03T12:30:15.000+01:00Helen,
Yes he does. At least his website does. An...Helen,<br /><br />Yes he does. At least his website does. And his Wikipedia page agrees, so it must be true :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4057487038565855826.post-23276309616700761342010-09-03T11:06:39.000+01:002010-09-03T11:06:39.000+01:00Nick,
No one else seems to think that Leterme is ...Nick,<br /><br />No one else seems to think that Leterme is the current Prime Minister. Does he know?Helennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4057487038565855826.post-70557283091629535352010-09-03T09:29:39.000+01:002010-09-03T09:29:39.000+01:00Leterme is the current Belgian Prime Minister. And...Leterme is the current Belgian Prime Minister. And therefore the current President-in-office of the Council of the European Union.<br /><br />If a new Belgian government is formed before the end of the year, then obviously there will be a change to the above.<br /><br />In any case, on January 1, the Hungarians take over for their first ever Presidency. They will be assisted by the two previous incumbents, namely Belgium and Spain.<br /><br />Simple.<br /><br />NickAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4057487038565855826.post-88762183805825682132010-09-02T16:35:47.000+01:002010-09-02T16:35:47.000+01:00I have to admire your strength of character, Clare...I have to admire your strength of character, Clarence. Couldn't really go through all that myself. As a matter of fact the individual politician does not have all that much influence over how Britain is governed. Even the country that is in the chair is not exactly influential most of the time. There are exceptions such as when a new treaty is discussed. It is really all those institutions that matter. I am afraid it is almost impossible to find out who the Belgian PM is. Every time one turns round it is somebody else.Helennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4057487038565855826.post-78355698436262705142010-09-02T14:54:37.000+01:002010-09-02T14:54:37.000+01:00This site doesn't make the answer obvious, tho...This site doesn't make the answer obvious, though it really should do so:<br /><br />http://www.eutrio.be/belgian-presidency-council-european-union<br /><br />I couldn't face more than a few minutes on the site but there is a pdf listing Leterme as PM – although I assume it's months old. (Another page bills the high rep as "Lady Cathy Ashton", making her the daughter of a countess, marchioness or duchess.)<br /><br />It's arguable that in this six-month period the Belgian PM has more influence than most of the coalition cabinet over how Britain is governed. It would be nice to know for sure who he (or she) is...Clarencenoreply@blogger.com