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Over the weekend, Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein warned his people that if they vote to allow abortion into their tiny Alpine principality, he would veto the law, forbidding the procedure to take place. This means when Liechtenstein votes next week, their votes may mean little.
 Click here for more images of Prince Alois at Daylife.com “We think fewer people will vote because they’ll ask themselves, what’s the point? It really is an attempt to actively influence the referendum,” said Helen Konzett, who helped gather the 1,500 signatures necessary to call the vote, set for Sunday, September 18th.
Many voters in Liechtenstein are angry at Prince Alois, who seems to have inherited his father’s – Prince Hans Adams II – staunch Roman Catholic views.
During National Day last month, Alois made a speech in regards to allowing abortion into the country. He said doing so would lead to late term abortions for a fetus with a disability. “Until now we have been proud to support people with disabilities in our country. The proposal would discriminate against such people and allow them to be eliminated in the womb,” he said.
Currently, any woman in Liechtenstein who gets an abortion could face one year in prison, unless her life was in danger or she was younger than 14 at the time. She could even face imprisonment if she gets the procedure outside of the country. Because of the risk, many women are afraid to discuss abortion in the principality.
As for the doctor who performs it, that person could be in prison for three years.
If Prince Alois vetoes the law, he would be the first Prince of Liechtenstein to do so since his grandfather, Prince Franz Joseph II, blocked hunting laws in the 1980s.
While many monarchs worldwide have been losing their powers over the years, the Princes of Liechtenstein saw theirs increase in 2003. That was when Prince Hans Adam II pushed for a constitutional amendment allowing sovereign Princes more power.
Source: Scotsman News
 Click here for more images of the Emperor here On Friday, Japan’s Emperor Akihito took part in a ceremony before Parliament in which he endorsed incoming prime minister, Yoshihiko Noda. Later that day, the Emperor also sworn in Noda’s new cabinet.
The new government inherits a country still reeling from the March 11 9.0 earthquake, followed by a tsunami and a meltdown from one of its nuclear plants.
The new Prime Minister has vowed to renew Japan, but he is experiencing low expectations. Noda is the 6th Prime Minister for the country in five years.
Source: CNN
 View more pics of Queen Beatrix here Controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders is looking to propose a bill that will limit Queen Beatrix’s influence over the Netherlands’ government.
Wilders announced this proposal during a press conference on Monday and said he will present the bill to Parliament on September 1st. While he does want to preserve the monarchy, he wants the Queen to be solely ceremonial and not involved in politics.
Currently, Her Majesty meets once a week with Prime Minister Mark Rutte to discuss how to run the country.
Rutte denies the Queen has any influence and reportedly does not want any changes towards the Queen’s role in the Netherlands.
Geert Wilders is the head of anti-Islam party, Freedom Party, that is dedicated to restricting immigration. Wilders has caused plenty of controversy over his criticism of Islam and multiculturalism.
Source: Nieuws.nl
The princely family of the tiny country of Liechtenstein celebrated National Day along with its 36,000 subjects. The day was marked with festivities, including the parade of most of the royals at the Castle Meadow in Vaduz.
 Click here for the image gallery The reigning couple, Prince Hans Adam II and Princess Marie, and the hereditary couple, Prince Alois and Princess Sophie walked by the dozens of people lined up to catch a view of their princely family.
There were other events, but one of the most important – the traditional mass – was not held. This was because of the Bishop of Vaduz refused to perform the ceremony out of protest for Liechtenstein legalizing same sex marriage, which is scheduled to begin next month.
There were other issues that arose from today. Prince Alois gave a speech where he discussed abortion, and how he would not allow the procedure for the first trimester if a referendum allows it next month. While abortion is not condemned in Liechtenstein, it is legally banned.
“The crown prince has said his opinion, which is not surprising. Rather, it is consistent, since he has been represented this opinion in the past on several occasions,” said Prime Minister Klaus Tschütscher.
One part of the abortion issue the Prince does not support is the procedure directed at those that would be born with disabilities.
“Until now we were proud of how we support people with disabilities in our country,” said Alois.
The Hereditary Prince also talked about how the Bishop refused to hold mass. “The cancellation point out that it was time to regulate the relationship between church and state again,” said Alois.
Source: Volksblatt Online, Die Presse
Is it possible that Europe will have its 11th monarchy soon? Or is it all homage paying to a country’s former royal family?
 Click here for original source That is what many royal watchers are wondering as they watch Crown Prince Nikola II Petrovic accept a law late last month rehabilitating his family after they were deposed in 1918.
The Royal House Law allows the House of Petrovic-Njegos to participate in events in Montenegro – which was formerly part of Yugoslavia – and for Nikola to receive a salary of $6.13 million, which is similar to that of a European president. The government is financing €4.3 million euros for the upkeeping of the family and their apartment in Podgorica and a family house in Cetinje.
“I am happy with everything that is happening today and I am looking forward to what is to come,” said the Prince during a reception hosted by Prime Minister Igor Luksic.
Even so, Petrovic’s attorney in Montenegro, Tania Turquin Spicanovic, said the prince does not expect Montenegro to restore the monarchy, and only wants to see the new law “consistently applied.”
The law also recognizes the royal house’s role in Montenegro history and how it was “violenty annexed” by Serbia nearly 100 years ago.
In many ways, it does look like Montenegro is headed towards restoring its monarchy. All it needs to do is hold a coronation ceremony for Prince Nikola. But there is no word of that happening in the near or distant future.
Montenegro is not the only country where there are talks of having a monarchy once again. Earlier this year, two-thirds of Serbians surveyed that they would like to see their country become a kingdom. Already, its former royal family lives in Serbia and occasionally do public engagements. Same goes for the former royals of Romania, although no poll has shown a majority want a monarchy again.
Source: AP, cotidianul.ro, Government of Montenegro
National Day is often meant to be a time to celebrate patriotism, but for Belgians, this year saw it be more somber since the day also marked 400 days without a government.
 Click here for more images Belgium’s monarch, King Albert II, has been demanding recently for the feuding politicians to do something to form a government in order to save the country from splitting into two. His speech on Wednesday night covered that issue.
“On this national day, I would have liked to enjoy with you the swearing in of a new government. Alas, we are not there yet, and I deplore this,” His Majesty lamented.
“Our current situation is a cause for concern among our partners and could damage our position in Europe, and even the momentum towards European integration which has already been undermined by populism and Euroscepticism.
“The actual crisis is showing the population’s ignorance of politics but doesn’t resolve the current problems. The risk is that we are going to have a kind of [populism] which would throw democracy into question,” said the 77-year old King.
King Albert’s efforts as a mediator between the warring political groups have made him popular with the people who want Belgium to remain.
“The King is right to give his point of view and I hope that he will be heard,” said one who was among a crowd waiting to greet him.
“I say thank you to the King as he is the cement for our country. We are proud to be Belgian, its our National Day and I hope the King will live for many more,” opined another.
Despite the dark cloud of politics hanging over Belgium, many people celebrated their country’s National Day along with their royal family.
The day saw the King and Queen Paola attended a Te Deum mass at St. Michael and Gudula Cathedral in Brussels before doing a walkabout with Belgians outside. That was followed by a military parade watched by the King and Queen, Crown Prince Philippe, Princess Mathilde and Queen Fabiola.
One royal noticeably absent from this year’s National Day festivities was Prince Laurent. Having been suspended until further notice for his behavior earlier this year from royal duties, Laurent and his wife and children instead celebrated Belgium’s big day at one of the country’s street parties the previous night.
Sources: Euronews, Telegraph.co.uk, De Standaard
For the second consecutive year, King Albert II will not bestow aristocratic titles to anyone because of the inability for Belgium’s political groups to form a government. The country has gone for over a year without it, and the King is more than frustrated.
 Click here for more photos of Belgium's crisis In a rare statement earlier this month, His Majesty said that “given the gravity of the political situation, the King wishes that each of the country’s political leaders take a few days of reflection to measure the consequences of the political situation and seek avenues towards a solution”.
The statement came after another of King Albert’s appointed mediators, French speaking Elio Di Rupo asked to be dismissed from his position after a draft was rejected by the country’s largest political party, the separatist Flemish N-VA.
Party leader Bart De Wever and Di Rupo would never sit side-by-side in a government, said commentator Liesbeth Van Impe in the daily Het Nieuwsblad, forecasting an early election. “De Wever has given Di Rupo, with all due respect, the middle finger.”
Belgium’s troubles are due to decades of tension between the Dutch speaking Flemish people and the Francophone Walloons.
Since there has been no government since June 2010, the country is heading towards financial troubles, with national debt hovering at 100 percent of its GDP. There are fears of another European financial fallout.
Thursday is Belgium’s National Day. It would be interesting to see what King Albert II will say in his annual speech and how the day’s celebrations will go on.
Sources: AFP, LeSoir
On Friday, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI broadcast a speech to his people, saying he will give up some of his absolute political powers. He also told the country he will name a prime minister from the largest political party to serve as head of the executive branch.
 Click here to see more photos Despite these promises, many of Morocco’s youth are dissatisfied. They wanted to see their King give up his military and religious powers as well, and as a result, its February 20 protest group will hold a demonstration on Sunday.
“The plan as proposed by the king yesterday does not respond to our demands for a true separation of powers,” said the spokesman of February 20.
However, there are some who are pleased with King Mohammed’s vows of change.
“The kingdom of Morocco has joined the list of democratic countries,” said one man out celebrating in Rabat.
“Today as Moroccan youths, we’re all celebrating our new constitution from the city of Tangier to the city of Lagouira.”
A referendum will take place on July 1st to make these changes permanent instead of in September as originally planned.
Among the other constitutional changes will be more freedom of religion, though Islam will remain the state faith. Also, the Berbers and their language will receive better treatment. The Berbers are the original inhabitants of Morocco and make up 60% of the population. But they claim discrimination and their language has not been considered one of the country’s main languages.
That, plus other proposals, will see a difference starting in July.
Sources: BBC News, New York Times
 Click here to see more Willem Alexander and Maxima photos On Friday, Dutch Parliament shot down a proposal that would have prevented Princess Maxima becoming Queen when husband Crown Prince Willem Alexander ascends to the throne.
Last week, three leftist parties discussed the possibility over making Maxima no more than a Princess when Willem Alexander becomes King because of the husbands of reigning Queens being no more than Prince Consorts rather than King Consorts. Some of the politicians felt the tradition was sexist.
But the Lower House in Parliament rejected the proposal. The three parties that initiated it were the Labour (PvdA), the leftwing Greens (GroenLinks) and the Party for Animals (PvdD). The right wing parties wanted to keep the tradition while the Socialist party had no opinion. The Party for Freedom did not respond.
Source: Nisnews.nl
Being married to a future King means being a future Queen yourself. Once your husband ascends to the throne, you become his Queen consort. But if some Dutch politicians have their way, Princess Maxima won’t be one when husband Crown Prince Willem Alexander becomes King.
 Click here for recent Princess Maxima photos Three left-wing parties, the Labour, the Green and the are voicing opposition to the popular Maxima receiving the title as Queen one day. This is because of the last three monarchs, Queens Wilhelmina, Juliana and Beatrix, all had Prince Consorts, not King Consorts. This is due to centuries of traditions where a King was also regent and never consort.
So because of that, Dutch politicians are asking why should Maxima be a Queen if the husbands of the reigning Dutch Queens were not allowed to be elevated beyond being Princes?
Green MP Ineke van Gent calls the tradition a “sexist, outdated system.” When asked about the Princess’ enormous popularity in the Netherlands, Van Gent says Prince Claus, the late husband of Queen Beatrix and Willem Alexander’s father, was “equally dear to us as is Maxima to us now.”
Right wing parties believe the monarchy should stick with tradition while centrist parties don’t seem to care either way.
There is one leftist party that isn’t against Maxima becoming Queen one day, and that is the Socialists.
“We now see no reason to change that tradition,” said MP Ronald van Raak.
Source: Nieuws.nl
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