The King's Terms

For the first time in ten years, the Belgian people this week heard the voice of their exiled King. In a seven-minute speech, recorded in Switzerland and put on the radio in Belgium, Leopold outlined a compromise plan for his return. He asked that he be recalled to the throne, whereupon he would "temporarily" cede the royal powers to his 19-year-old son Baudouin. In Brussels anti-Leopoldists asked: How long is "temporarily"?

The 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."

Too Much or Too Little? In the meantime, while Baudouin ruled as Lieutenant General of the Realm, Leopold would "make contact with all levels of opinion and bring back peace . . ." The temporary delegation of power to Baudouin would end, Leopold suggested, "with the accord of the government and at the moment which I shall consider to conform with the interests of the nation."

Had Leopold conceded enough for anti-Leopold Liberals and Socialists? Too much for pro-Leopold elements in the Christian Socialist (Catholic) party?

Liberal leaders listened to the King's message in the Salle des Marechaux at the Defense Ministry. They sat around a horseshoe table nibbling tea biscuits, and after half an hour announced their acceptance "in principle." But, they cautioned, the message "will require certain clarifications and declarations."

More Royalist than the King. Paul-Henri Spaak's Socialists heard the speech in their conference room at the Maison du Peuple. Said one Socialist deputy: "A step forward toward national harmony." But the Socialists were making no decision until they learned how other parties interpreted the message. The Christian Socialists were divided, but the more-royalist-than-the-King faction could hardly hold out against the King's compromise.

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.

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