VII. The Contemporary Period, 1945–2000 > B. Europe, 1945–2000 > 6. Western Europe, 1945–2000 > c. The Low Countries > 1. Belgium > 1961, Feb. 17
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1961, Feb. 17
 
Liberal members of the coalition government of Premier Eyskens resigned in disagreement over the application of a new economic reform measure. King Baudouin, on Feb. 20, refused to accept their resignation, but dissolved Parliament and scheduled new elections, March 26. Premier Eyskens resigned (March 27), and on April 25 Theo Lefevre, president of the Christian Social Party, was installed as premier and Paul-Henri Spaak as vice premier and foreign minister.  1
 
1962, Oct. 14
 
Demonstrations by Flemish-speaking Belgians, to protest the denial of their cultural and political equality by the French-speaking (Walloon) community, and to demand that Dutch replace French as the language of business.  2
 
1963, July 3
 
King Baudouin rejected Premier Lefevre's resignation, offered on July 2, following a renewed outbreak of the Flemish-Walloon language dispute.  3
On July 6 Lefevre announced a settlement of the dispute, and on July 12 the lower house of Parliament approved a new boundary line between the Walloon and Flemish areas, to take effect Sept. 1.  4
 
1964, April 1–18
 
Physicians went on strike protesting a new national health insurance law, which established a fixed low fee schedule.  5
Renewed agitation for the reorganization of Belgium as a federal state. Conferences of the government with representatives of both nationalities broke down over the demand of the Walloon minority for a veto over any future legislation in the field of nationality.  6
 
1966, July 11
 
Language riots, focusing on the insistence of the Flemings that the Walloon section of the University of Louvain be moved to some location on Wallonia.  7
 
1968, Feb. 7
 
Resignation of the Vanden Boeyants government over continued agitation on the issue of Louvain University.  8
 
March 31
 
In the national elections, the traditional parties managed to hold their own against the extremist groups, the Flemish Volksunie and the Rassemblement Walloon.  9
 
June 18
 
A new coalition of Center-Left parties was formed by Gaston Eyskens, who embarked on a program of expanded regional autonomy, especially in cultural matters, between the Flemish and the Walloon areas. The new government was committed also to a gradual division of the University of Louvain between the two nationalist factions. In an effort to diffuse the language dispute, the French-language faculties of the Catholic University of Louvain were moved to nearby French-speaking areas, but a new dispute soon arose over the allocation of university funds.  10
 
 
 
The Encyclopedia of World History, Sixth edition. Peter N. Stearns, general editor. Copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Maps by Mary Reilly, copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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