President announces cabinet

Monday evening, newly elected president Evert De Smet announced his government. Emery Frijters has been appointed Minister of Economy, Culture and the Interior. Minister Frijters has already developed an international banking system, which will probably be used in Flanders as well as in Mayo, and probably other nations as well. Former president and conservative party leader Gert Geens has been appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Finances. Somewhat of a surprise was the announcement that social-democrat Charly is to be Junior Minister for Education. It was stressed that the social-democrats are not part of the government, and are not bound to any of the government's promisses. In short, they will be in the opposition, except for the department of Education.

Parliament has also begun its workings. Aside from technical such as internal rules and vice-president of Parliament, the most important debate is on a resolution condemning the actions by Bert, head of the State Security Service in Liberi, and the Duke of Liberi in the Sovjet Republic of the Red Antilles. While the communists, supported by social-democratic MP Charly, propose an explicit mention of both men in the resolution, the conservative government seems only willing to support a general condemnation of such actions, without explicitly mentionning both men.

Charly has also announced that he will retire from his office as political secretary of the social-democratic party. He will most likely be succeeded by Erwin Van Horenbeeck, who lost last weeks presidential elections.