Mr Di Rupo intends to discuss the issue with the eight parties that negotiated the state reform programme and ask them to agree to an amendment to this year’s budget that will allow Queen Fabiola’s stipend to be cut.

In a press statement issued on Saturday morning Mr Di Rupo said "As announced in parliament on Thursday, the Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo is in favour of reforming the system of stipends for the royal family as quickly as possible.”

"One of the points laid out explicitly in the accord on institutional reform is that the stipend given to the widow or widower of a deceased King or Queen may not exceed that given to the person that is first in line to the throne.”

This means that Queen Fabiola will see her stipend cut by more than 30% from 1.42 million euros to 922,000 euros per annum.

Mr Di Rupo says that the measure will be a first step in the speeding up of the implementation of the reform of the royal stipend system that was agreed on by the eight parties.

[Flandersnews.be / Expatica]