Belgian King Albert II sent his Prime Minister Yves Leterme back to the drawing board late Thursday, insisting he stay in power and seek a resolution of his coalition's stalemate, Belgian media reports said. Albert turned down Leterme's resignation, which was first submitted late Monday, after the Flemish Christian Democrat prime minister realized that his five-party coalition government would fail to meet a self-imposed July 15 deadline for reaching a consensus on constitutional reform. The king received Leterme for official discussions after days of talks with leading politicians about a solution. He also named three mediators with instructions to find a way out of the crisis: two French-speaking politicians, Francois-Xavier de Donnea and Raymond Langendries, as well as Karl-Heinz Lambertz from German-speaking Belgium. Albert urged the government to give full support to the reconciliation efforts.
Albert turned down Leterme's resignation, which was first submitted late Monday, after the Flemish Christian Democrat prime minister realized that his five-party coalition government would fail to meet a self-imposed July 15 deadline for reaching a consensus on constitutional reform.
The king received Leterme for official discussions after days of talks with leading politicians about a solution. He also named three mediators with instructions to find a way out of the crisis: two French-speaking politicians, Francois-Xavier de Donnea and Raymond Langendries, as well as Karl-Heinz Lambertz from German-speaking Belgium.
Albert urged the government to give full support to the reconciliation efforts.
BRUSSELS: The King of Belgium, Albert II, has rejected the resignation of the country's Prime Minister, Yves Leterme, but asked three other politicians to help solve a crisis that has prompted speculation that the nation may split. Leterme, a 47-year-old Flemish Christian Democrat, offered to quit on Monday night after missing a self-imposed deadline of July 15 to resolve a constitutional impasse. In a statement released late on Thursday, the palace said the king had asked Leterme "to encourage as best as is possible" the chances of achieving a constitutional reform which would give more power to the regions. The devolution plans have provoked fears among the country's French-speaking population that they will lose subsidies from the richer, Dutch-speaking north of the country.
BRUSSELS: The King of Belgium, Albert II, has rejected the resignation of the country's Prime Minister, Yves Leterme, but asked three other politicians to help solve a crisis that has prompted speculation that the nation may split.
Leterme, a 47-year-old Flemish Christian Democrat, offered to quit on Monday night after missing a self-imposed deadline of July 15 to resolve a constitutional impasse.
In a statement released late on Thursday, the palace said the king had asked Leterme "to encourage as best as is possible" the chances of achieving a constitutional reform which would give more power to the regions.
The devolution plans have provoked fears among the country's French-speaking population that they will lose subsidies from the richer, Dutch-speaking north of the country.
