1 year gone, still no Belgian government
Source: Agencies |
April 27, 2011, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
BELGIUM marked an anniversary yesterday, but no one in this country of 10.5 million people is celebrating.
One year ago, King Albert II accepted the resignation of the government and one election and countless negotiating sessions later, the search for a new governing coalition is still continuing.
Ever since the June 13 elections, negotiations have snarled over the linguistic divisions and the future make-up of the country, with parties representing the 6 million Flemings seeking more autonomy in line with their wealth and the 4.5 million Francophones trying to keep together a sense of Belgian nationhood.
Caretaker Prime Minister Yves Leterme said yesterday that up to three more months could be required to form a coalition.
European Union President Herman van Rompuy, who was Belgian prime minister before going to the EU in December 2009, called the situation "extremely pitiful."
Van Rompuy said that even though Leterme had taken as much action as his remit as caretaker premier allowed, Belgium would need a full government soon to decide on continued economic policy.
"There is a real chance that in the eyes of the EU we will fall short" in terms of economic policy, van Rompuy told De Standaard newspaper. Member states have to put long-term economic planning past the EU.
The two biggest parties, the N-VA nationalists of Bart de Wever in Flanders and the PS Walloon Socialists of Elio di Rupo in Wallonia, still have not found any room for compromise and Leterme scolded de Wever - whose party seeks the dissolution of Belgium - for not trying hard enough.
One year ago, King Albert II accepted the resignation of the government and one election and countless negotiating sessions later, the search for a new governing coalition is still continuing.
Ever since the June 13 elections, negotiations have snarled over the linguistic divisions and the future make-up of the country, with parties representing the 6 million Flemings seeking more autonomy in line with their wealth and the 4.5 million Francophones trying to keep together a sense of Belgian nationhood.
Caretaker Prime Minister Yves Leterme said yesterday that up to three more months could be required to form a coalition.
European Union President Herman van Rompuy, who was Belgian prime minister before going to the EU in December 2009, called the situation "extremely pitiful."
Van Rompuy said that even though Leterme had taken as much action as his remit as caretaker premier allowed, Belgium would need a full government soon to decide on continued economic policy.
"There is a real chance that in the eyes of the EU we will fall short" in terms of economic policy, van Rompuy told De Standaard newspaper. Member states have to put long-term economic planning past the EU.
The two biggest parties, the N-VA nationalists of Bart de Wever in Flanders and the PS Walloon Socialists of Elio di Rupo in Wallonia, still have not found any room for compromise and Leterme scolded de Wever - whose party seeks the dissolution of Belgium - for not trying hard enough.
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