Belgium woke up to a new political crisis Tuesday when it became clear that its five-party coalition government led by Prime Minister Yves Leterme had broken down after only four months in office. Flemish Christian Democrat Leterme handed in his resignation to Belgian King Albert II late Monday night after it became clear he would not be unable to broker an agreement on the basis of constitutional reform or a power-sharing deal that has split the country in two. But after a four-hour meeting with his prime minister, Albert rejected the resignation of the government, instead favoring a deliberation period where he would consider whether to accept the move. The royal palace said the king would begin consulting political leaders from both sides of the linguistic divide this week. Leterme's government apparently crumbled after failing to find common ground on a reform plan before the prime minister's self-imposed July 15 deadline. A contributing factor was the ongoing cultural differences between the Dutch-speaking Flemish people and the French-speaking Walloons.
Flemish Christian Democrat Leterme handed in his resignation to Belgian King Albert II late Monday night after it became clear he would not be unable to broker an agreement on the basis of constitutional reform or a power-sharing deal that has split the country in two.
But after a four-hour meeting with his prime minister, Albert rejected the resignation of the government, instead favoring a deliberation period where he would consider whether to accept the move. The royal palace said the king would begin consulting political leaders from both sides of the linguistic divide this week.
Leterme's government apparently crumbled after failing to find common ground on a reform plan before the prime minister's self-imposed July 15 deadline. A contributing factor was the ongoing cultural differences between the Dutch-speaking Flemish people and the French-speaking Walloons.
Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme has tendered his resignation, plunging the linguistically divided country back into political crisis. His cabinet had failed to agree on a constitutional reform that would have devolved more power to the regions. Belgium's Prime Minister Yves Leterme after offering his resignation to the king. Belgians woke up to a case of déjà-vu on Tuesday morning, learning that Prime Minister Yves Leterme had resigned overnight, plunging the country into yet another political crisis. Leterme had offered to resign after failing to meet a deadline to reconcile parties from both sides of Belgium's linguistic divide on a path to reform the federal state. King Albert II is now "weighing" whether to accept the resigination and has begun consulting with political leaders on how to resolve the crisis. Leterme said in a statement that the "communities' conflicting visions of how to give a new equilibrium to our state have become incompatible," adding that the "federal model has reached its limit."
Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme has tendered his resignation, plunging the linguistically divided country back into political crisis. His cabinet had failed to agree on a constitutional reform that would have devolved more power to the regions.
Belgium's Prime Minister Yves Leterme after offering his resignation to the king. Belgians woke up to a case of déjà-vu on Tuesday morning, learning that Prime Minister Yves Leterme had resigned overnight, plunging the country into yet another political crisis.
Leterme had offered to resign after failing to meet a deadline to reconcile parties from both sides of Belgium's linguistic divide on a path to reform the federal state.
King Albert II is now "weighing" whether to accept the resigination and has begun consulting with political leaders on how to resolve the crisis.
Leterme said in a statement that the "communities' conflicting visions of how to give a new equilibrium to our state have become incompatible," adding that the "federal model has reached its limit."
