Ottoman Diplomats

Synopsis

Etienne Carathéodory Effendi reports that the discussions in the Belgian House of Representatives in reaction to the speech from the throne advanced really slowly. Fifteen days after the King’s speech, the MP’s were still busy with the general discussion. The passionate debates were reflected in the public opinion, that was also divided along the Catholic-liberal line. Both parties went to great lengths to be proved right in front of the nation. Because of the lack of the usual limitations to the length of the speeches, long discourses followed one another, and the conflict became more and more ardent. Carathéodory regrets that the King (who had immunity) was not always respected by the Catholic MPs. They blamed him for having ratified non-religious state education. Especially the question of education marked the debates. The liberal party seemed determined to put their liberal ideas into practice, and to decrease the influence of the Church and its recent doctrines on the education of young Belgians.

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