Belgian PM resigns after UN migrant pact row results in no confidence motion

Belgian PM Charles Michel

Belgium’s Prime Minister Charles Michel has announced his immediate resignation after a no-confidence motion against his government was introduced.

Speaking to the parliament, Michel admitted that his call for a “coalition of the willing” to govern until the next election – scheduled for May 2019 – had “not been heard,” adding that he would respect this outcome and resign.

His speech received standing ovation, according to the Belgian media.

ALSO ON RT.COMMigration not a ‘human right’: Austria refuses to join global UN-backed migration pactMichel’s decision came after the opposition Green and Socialist parties tabled a no-confidence motion against his government. The move was allegedly provoked by the ruling coalition’s failure to agree on some budget proposals.

The Belgian government was already weakened earlier this month, when the center-right New Flemish Alliance (N-VA), which is actually the largest political force in the parliament, quit the ruling coalition citing disagreements with its partners over the controversial UN Migration Pact. Michel had to reshuffle his cabinet and planned to make his government continue its work as a minority one.

The UN-backed pact that has turned out to be a stumbling block for the Belgian government was approved by more than 160 nations in Marrakech, Morocco earlier in December.

ALSO ON RT.COMDivided nations: UN migration pact sows discord as states turn away & face domestic tensionsSome nations have openly opposed it, while many others, including Belgium, witnessed widespread protests of their citizens against it. The US, which was the first to openly oppose the pact, said the agreement was “dead even before it’s been signed.”

Although the text is not legally binding and is regarded as more of a declaration, the pact is worded in a way that encourages domestic courts and authorities to consider it when making decisions based on interpretations of their laws.

Such provisions have prompted Austria, Hungary, Israel and several other countries to reject the pact. Critics claim that the deal is inadequate for managing global migration flows and might negatively affect their national immigration policies.

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December 18, 2018 0

Water cannon, firecrackers as thousands rally against UN migration pact in Brussels (PHOTO, VIDEO)

Police have deployed water cannon during a rally against the controversial UN migration pact in Brussels. Officers were seen scuffling with protesters, who threw firecrackers before facing off with law-enforcement.

The rally was dubbed the ‘March against Marrakech’ in reference to the city where the pact was signed earlier in December. It was organized by the right-wing Vlaams Belang party which has long been a vocal opponent of the agreement.

While having initially kicked off peacefully, the demonstration started to heat up with some of the participants burning firecrackers and hurling bottles as they marched down the street.

Riot police marched out in full riot gear to quell the unease. They later moved in with water cannon against some of the protesters.

At least two of them were seen being sprayed with water cannon right in their faces. It is not known whether any serious injuries have been caused by the hit.

One of the videos from the unrest shows how a chain of riot police sprint towards a small group of people (presumably demonstrators). Just moments later at least two of them are being encircled by the riot officers and beaten with batons. A male also gets a direct pepper spray hit in the face from the closest range. After walking just a few meters – apparently completely disoriented – he then collapses on the pavement, with police running past him.

Police said that at least 5,000 have gathered in the Belgian capital. A separate counter-demonstration of around 1,000 people, organised by left-wing groups and non-governmental organisations, also took place in the city centre.

The UN-backed pact promoting an international approach to safe and orderly migration was formally approved in Marrakech, Morocco earlier in December. The accord split global powers, with Austria, Hungary, the US, Israel and several other countries rejecting the pact. Its critics claim that the deal is inadequate for managing global migration flows.

The Belgian government suffered a blow after the center-right New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) quit the ruling coalition because of its disapproval of the accord. Prime Minister Charles Michel announced that his government was set to continue as a minority.

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December 16, 2018 0

Belgian government breaks as ‘treacherous’ Prime Minister announces to sign UN Migration Pact

By VOICE OF EUROPE 9 December 2018

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel – Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock.com

After days of crisis over the UN Migration Pact, the Belgian government has broken up. Essence of the split is the Prime Minister’s trip to the UN Migration Conference in Morocco.

For several days, Belgium’s largest party, the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) said it could not agree with Belgium signing the pact.

The N-VA opposes numerous proposals of the UN’s Migration Pact. Among other things, the pact does not make a distinction between legal and illegal migrant and sees migration purely as a positive phenomenon.

The party announced it would leave the coalition if the Prime Minister would go to Morocco to sign the pact.

Prime Minister Charles Michel did not change his plans and was forced to replace several N-VA minister in his government, which will now continue as a minority government.

On Facebook 1,200 people seem to agree with a comment that says the Prime Minister is a traitor [for signing the pact]. Other users are worried about the future of their children and say democracy is dead.

People also say they should start protesting and make the yellow vests movement in Belgium larger.

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December 9, 2018 0

UN Migration Pact Crumbles As Attention Drawn to Disturbing ‘Replacement Migration’ Plan

By Chris Menahan

Bulgaria has become the latest nation to reject the United Nations’ controversial “migration pact” joining the US, Australia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Israel and Poland.

“Bulgaria will not join a United Nations accord on regulating the treatment of migrants worldwide and would not attend the conference marking its formal adoption in Morocco next week, its centre-right government decided on Wednesday,” Reuters reports.

The pact reportedly seeks to make immigration a “human right” and “criminalize criticism of migration” as “hate speech.”

The government of Belgium is currently “teetering on the brink of collapse” as a result of their ruling party saying they would back the pact.

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In discussions over the pact, many people brought up a disturbing plan from the UN which called for “replacement migration” to address the “new challenges of declining and ageing populations.”

Though the plan was released in 2001, the UN sometime over the last two weeks took down a page many people were linking to which featured the plan (it’s still up on another section of their website).

Here’s some of the excerpts which got people concerned:

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As you can see from the chart, the UN wants us to fit 4 billion people into Europe and the UK (current population 508 million).

All the countries which are rejecting the UN’s latest compact should instead form together to create a “repatriation plan” which enshrines national sovereignty, strong immigration policies and strong borders as a basic human right.

December 6, 2018 0