Posted on 07/15/2008 3:57:30 AM PDT by knighthawk
Belgian Prime Minister offered his government’s resignation to the king Monday, said a source
BRUSSELS - Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme offered his government's resignation to the king Monday after talks between Flemish and French-speakers on new reforms failed, a source close to the government said.
"He will present his government's resignation," the source told AFP under cover of anonymity.
"It's an admission of a complete deadlock on community questions, combined with the fact the government will not be able to present an agreement on reforming the state by 15 July," as Leterme had promised, the source said.
Leterme only took office in March, nine months after elections, when his appointment temporarily ended one of Belgium's worst ever political crisis.
The 48-year-old Flemish conservative "is with the king," the prime minister's spokesman, Jerome Hardy, confirmed at about 11:30 pm (2130 GMT) Monday, without giving further details.
A statement from the palace of King Albert II, the head of state, was expected after they emerged from the closed door meeting.
The king could accept Leterme's resignation, refuse it or put off a decision for several days to give him time to assess the political situation.
Talks between Flemish and French-speakers, the kingdom's two main linguistic communities, had earlier ended without agreement on Leterme's latest proposals for reform, which focused on devolving federal powers down to the regions.
Leterme had set himself the deadline of 15 July to reconcile the parties from Flanders - representing some 60 percent of Belgium's 10.5 million people - and Wallonia on a way to extensively reform the federal state.
Flanders, Belgium's Dutch-speaking northern half, craves more regional powers to reflect its prosperity. It also resents subsidising the less affluent, French-speaking Wallonia region to its south.
After 2007's crisis, French speakers accepted to enter into reform talks, realising that it was perhaps the only way to stop Belgium breaking up.
A recent opinion poll found that 49.7 percent of Flemish people are in favour of Belgium splitting into its two main linguistic halves.
Yet despite the risks, French speakers have rejected any attempt to break "national solidarity" by, for example, dividing up the social security system into regional branches for each linguistic community.
Another problem the premier had to solve was the Flemish demand for a special voting district around Brussels to be split up.
This would in effect do away with an arrangement that allows French-speakers in the Flemish suburbs to vote for Francophone politicians in the capital, where they are in the majority.
[AFP / Expatica]
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Belgian King rejects government resignation
Belgian King Albert II rejects the resignation of the government of Yves Leterme early Tuesday after a four-hour meeting
BRUSSELS - After a four-hour meeting with his prime minister, Belgian King Albert II rejected the resignation of the government of Yves Leterme early Tuesday, the Belgian news agency Belga reported.
Albert met with Leterme and other members of his five-party coalition after Leterme had decided to submit his resignation.
The government of the Christian Democratic Leterme made the overture after failing to find common ground on a reform plan within a designated deadline. The contributing factor was the ongoing cultural differences between the Dutch-speaking Flemish people and the French-speaking Walloons.
The government, which includes Conservatives and Liberals of both language groups as well as Francophone socialists, has only been in power since earlier this year.
The head of the Francophone Conservatives, Joelle Milquet, earlier said she regretted Letermes' decision, and called for measures to avoid a governance crisis, according to a statement quoted by Belga.
[dpa / Expatica]
http://www.expatica.com/be/articles/news/Belgian-King-rejects-government-resignation.html
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Why does Belgium exist?
Give Walloonia to France, Flanders to Holland. Done, problem solved.
;-P
I don’t know all that much about European affairs and probably shouldn’t post anything, but seems to me that this unstable Monarchy that seems to butt its haughtiness into World affairs all too often is too unstable for such credibility as is fawned upon them.
There may be two beer companies - BUD and WEISER?
The French minority, with the support of the king, has been stomping all over the Flemish majority ever since Belgium has existed. The hardworking Flemings have gotten tired of subsidizing the lazy French, many of whom are unemployed or work for the government. The Belgian government has responded to the discontent by importing massive numbers of violent moslem immigrants and settling them in Flemish cities.
Unfortunately, Belgium has gun control.
So everything's okay. :-P
This sort of language should not be allowed on FR.
Along with “swut” and “turlingdrome”, and gratuitous references to the prophet Zarquon (Singing Fish Be Upon Him), “B*lg**m” should be banished to the dank cellar of lingustic history.
Belguim exists because not all of the Flemish wanted to be Protestant... Belguim remained Catholic and under Spanish rule after the United Provinces threw off the Hapsburg yoke.
Again? Jeez the Italians must be laughing themselves silly. I don’t think this lasted two months..let alone nine.
Pretty ironic Belgium’s coming unglued considering that the EU is headquartered in Brussels. Can’t keep their own country together but more than willing to champion telling every other country in Europe how to manage themselves.
This is political farce on a grand scale!
Ping
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