of the Benelux Customs Union negotiated with both the Dutch and Luxembourgish governments in exile and signed in September 1944. Unlike Spaak, who was a staunch supporter of greater cooperation between states in Western Europe, Pierlot supported a transatlantic alliance with the United States to guarantee Belgian independence after the end of the war. Defence ministry crisis From its inception, the position of Minister of Defence in the government in exile was heavily contested. The appointment of Henri Rolin, an academic, to the position was particularly resented. In October 1942, Pierlot dismissed Rolin who he accused of involving himself in factional internal politics of the army, parts of which had begun to behave mutinously about their perceived inaction. To resolve the deadlock, Pierlot decided to take on the position personally. He began a major restructuring of the command structure of the infantry in an ultimately successful attempt to resolve the situation. A minor mutiny among soldiers from an artillery battery was quickly suppressed in November 1942, but Pierlot was widely criticised by the British press during the soldiers' court martial in January 1943. In 1944, Pierlot began drawing up plans for the reorganization of the Belgian Army after the liberation, known as the Pierlot Plan (Plan Pierlot). The plan called for the formation of two brigades of infantry, six battalions of fusiliers, logistics and support units in Belgium immediately after liberation in order to fight alongside Allied troops during an invasion of Germany. In the longer term, these troops would form the core of a new division around which more troops could be raised. Liberation governments The liberation of Belgium begun in September 1944 as Allied forces moved eastwards. Brussels was liberated on 3 September. On 8 September, Pierlot and the government in exile arrived in the city by aeroplane. The return of the government was met with general indifference by the population, which felt the government had been indifferent to the plight of the population during the occupation. Parliament met for the first time since 1940 on 19 September 1944 in which Pierlot presented a summary of the government's actions in Britain during the occupation. One of the first acts of the government was to make Prince Charles, Leopold's brother, the prince regent on 20 September. On 26 September, a new liberation government of national unity was created. Because of a shortage of candidates, Pierlot continued to head it.