Belgium

Government resigns after four months in power

Article published on the 2008-07-15 Latest update 2008-07-15 08:36 TU

Yves Leterme
(Photo: Reuters)

The Belgian Prime Minister, Yves Leterme, has tendered his government's resignation. He had failed to find a solution to political tension between the French-speaking and Flemish regions. King Albert II has not yet indicated if he will accept the resignation of a government that only came to power four months ago.

If accepted, this will be Leterme's third resignation.

King Albert II met Deputy Prime Minister Didier Reynders, and the speaker of the Chamber of Representatives, Herman Van Rompuy on Monday, after Leterne said he would quit.

The government is a five-party coalition that has only been in office since March this year.

Leterme was appointed prime minister nine months after elections, bringing a prolonged political crisis to a close. He had committed himself to resolving state reform over greater autonomy for Belgium's Flemish-speaking region, promising that he would have resolved the issue of the regions by 15 June.

Yves Leterme (l) shaking the hand of Belgian King Albert II on Leterme's nomination as Prime Minister, 20 March 2008.
(Photo: Reuters)

Leterne described the aspirations of the French-speaking and Flemish-speaking regions as "incompatible". He insisted however that some form of reform was going to have to be introduced.

The wealthy north of the country, Flanders, is seeking more power. It represents 60 per cent of the country's population and complains that it subsidises the French-speaking Wallonia region in the south.

French speakers had agreed to reform talks to find a political solution and today the French-speaking Reynders said there was still time to find a resolution. French-speaking socialist politicians expressed regret at the Prime Minister's resignation.

King Albert II may refuse to accept Leterme's resignation. That would oblige Leterne to stay in office and try to resolve the Flemish-Walloon question.

Analysts say that early elections would not be welcome in the country. The country could split into its two linguistic regions if a solution can not be found.