Less than a week after the elections, the German Language Community has a new government. Oliver Paasch (photo) of the regionalist party ProDG will remain First Minister. Mr Paasch's party has formed a coalition with the Christian democrat party CSP and the Liberal Party PFF/MR. For the first time in 34 years the socialist party SP will no longer be part of the government coalition.
The new governing coalition of ProDG, CSP and PFF has a majority of 16 out of 25 seats in the German Language Community Parliament that is located in the town of Eupen in Liège Province. First Minister Oliver Paasch's ProDG won 29.1 % of the vote in Sunday’s election and now has 8 seats in parliament (+2).
The Christian democrat party CSP suffered significant losses and lost one of its six seats. Nevertheless, CSP remains the second strongest political force in the German Language Community Parliament. Although with 13 of the 25 seats ProDG and CSP already had a majority, a third coalition partner has been taken on board. PFF/MR slightly increased ist share of the vote and retained its 3 seats.
The German Language Community is the smallest of Belgium’s 3 language communities. Around 80,000 people live in the 9 municipalities where German is the official language. The German Language Community is situated in the East of Liège province.
The new government
Oliver Paasch (ProDG) remains First Minister and the minister responsible for local government and finance.
The former Minister of Education, Lydia Klinkenberg (ProDG), has become Social Affairs Minister.
Jérôme Franssen (CSP) becomes Minister of Education and Employment.
Gregor Freches (PFF) takes over responsibility for Culture, Sport, Youth and Tourism from the his party colleague Isabelle Weykmans.
Patricia Creutz-Vilvoye (CSP) will be the new speaker of the German Language Community Parliament.