Martens I Government
The Martens I Government was the national government of Belgium from 3 April 1979 to 23 January 1980.
It was the first government headed by Wilfried Martens and comprised the Flemish Christian People's Party (CVP), the French-speaking Christian Social Party (PSC), the Flemish Belgian Socialist Party (BSP), the French-speaking Socialist Party (SP) and the Democratic Front of Francophones (FDF). It fell after nine months, when the FDF left the government.
Composition
| Minister | Name | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | Wilfried Martens | CVP |
| Deputy Prime Minister - Budget | Guy Spitaels | PS |
| Deputy Prime Minister - Economic Affairs | Willy Claes | BSP |
| Deputy Prime Minister - Defence | Paul Vanden Boeynants (to Oct. 1979) José Desmarets (from Oct. 1979) |
PSC |
| Communication | Jos Chabert | CVP |
| Justice | Renaat Van Elslande | CVP |
| Foreign Affairs | Henri Simonet | PS |
| Social Assistance and Pensions | Alfred Califice | PSC |
| Agriculture and Middle Classes | Albert Lavens | CVP |
| Education | Jef Ramaekers | BSP |
| Dutch-speaking Community Affairs | Rika De Backer | CVP |
| Public Health and Environment | Luc Dhoore | CVP |
| Finance | Gaston Geens | CVP |
| Walloon Affairs | Jean-Maurice Dehousse | PS |
| Public Works | Guy Mathot | PS |
| PTT | Robert Urbain | PS |
| Development Cooperation | Mark Eyskens | CVP |
| Employment and Labour | Roger De Wulf | BSP |
| Education | Jacques Hoyaux | PS |
| Interior and Institutional Reform | Georges Gramme | PSC |
| Flemish Affairs | Marc Galle | BSP |
| French-speaking Community Affairs | Michel Hansenne | PSC |
| Civil Service and Institutional Reform | Willy Calewaert | BSP |
| Brussels Affairs | Léon Defosset | FDF |
| Foreign Trade and Science Policy | Lucien Outers | FDF |
| Secretary of State | Name | Party |
| Brussels Affairs | Guy Cudell | PS |
| Flemish Affairs | Paul Akkermans | CVP |
| Dutch-speaking Community Affairs | Rika Steyaert | CVP |
| Brussels Affairs | Lydia De Pauw | BSP |
| Flemish Affairs | Daniel Coens | CVP |
| Walloon Affairs | Bernard Anselme | PS |
| Walloon Affairs | Antoine Humblet | PSC |
| French-speaking Community Affairs | François Persoons | FDF |
Reshuffles
- 15 October 1979: José Desmarets (PSC) replaces Paul Vanden Boeynants as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. Philippe Maystadt (PSC) replaces Antoine Humblet as Secretary of State for the Walloon Region.
- 16 January 1980: Lucien Outers, Léon Defosset and François Persoons resign.