Pierlot IV Government

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The Pierlot IV Government, also known as the Pierlot Government in London, was the government in exile of Belgium from May 1940 until 1944, during the Nazi occupation of Belgium. The government was led by Hubert Pierlot.

On 10 May 1940, the Wehrmacht had invaded Belgium (see Battle of Belgium). King Leopold III had personally assumed control of the military; in a meeting with the King on 24 May, the Cabinet urged him to leave the country with the Cabinet; Leopold refused, stating that he must remain with his troops. The Cabinet took this as an indication that Leopold would be willing to establish a new government under Adolf Hitler. On 27 May, Leopold surrendered the Belgian forces to Germany, without the advice of the Cabinet. Pierlot regarded this act as unconstitutional, and in a speech in Limoges he deprived the King of his powers.

The ministers of the Cabinet made their separate ways to London in late 1940, where they worked closely with the Free French Forces.

Composition

Changes

• 19 February 1942
  • Julius Hoste (Liberal) becomes Undersecretary for Public Education
  • Henri Rolin (BWP) becomes Undersecretary for Defence
  • Gustave Joassart (technical expert) becomes Undersecretary for Aid to Refugees, Labour and Social Welfare
• 2 October 1942
  • Antoine Delfosse (Catholic) becomes Minister for Justice, National Information and Propaganda
  • Henri Rolin (BWP) resigns as Undersecretary for Aid to Refugees, Labour and Social Welfare
• January 1943
  • Arthur Vanderpoorten (Liberal) is apprehended by the Nazi occupiers
• 6 April 1943
  • August De Schryver becomes Minister for Interior Affairs and Agriculture
  • August Balthazar (BSP) becomes Minister for Public Works and Transport
• 16 July 1943
  • Gustave Joassart (technical expert) resigns as Undersecretary for Aid to Refugees, Labour and Social Welfare
• 3 September 1943
  • Joseph Bondas (POB) becomes Undersecretary for Aid to Refugees, Labour and Social Welfare
  • Raoul Richard (technical expert) becomes Undersecretary for Supplies
• 30 March 1943
  • Paul Tschoffen (Catholic) becomes Staatsraad
• 6 June 1944
  • Paul Tschoffen (Catholic) becomes Head of the Mission for Civil Affairs

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