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Belgian parties in historic accord
Source: Agencies |
September 16, 2011, Friday
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DUTCH-SPEAKING and Francophone parties reached a major breakthrough yesterday in negotiations to form a new Belgian government a record 15 months after elections.
The eight parties reached a deal on the break-up of an electoral district in and around bilingual Brussels, an issue that had vexed politicians for almost half a century and was at the heart of the record-length stand-off between the linguistic groups.
The parties said negotiations on other issues, such as economic and social policy, will continue.
"Our work is far from over, and we still need a lot of negotiation," they said in a joint statement.
After a 459-day stalemate, already considered a world record, news of the breakthrough was lauded in local media as historic.
"We have crossed a difficult bridge," said Joelle Milquet, head of the Francophone Democratic Humanist party.
Over the past months, politicians have increasingly worried about the problems in Europe's financial markets.
Caretaker Prime Minister Yves Leterme took as many social and economic decisions as his remit allowed, but negotiators realized drastic action had to be taken.
Elections last year brought the Dutch-speaking separatist New Flemish Alliance party to the fore, and at first it was including in negotiations. But when no compromise could be found, the traditional parties tried to go it alone.
The insistence on greater self-rule for 6 million Dutch-speaking Flemings was always central in negotiations. Parties representing the 5 million Francophones sought to maintain a status quo.
Negotiators stressed, however, that many hurdles needed to be cleared until a new government could take office.
The eight parties reached a deal on the break-up of an electoral district in and around bilingual Brussels, an issue that had vexed politicians for almost half a century and was at the heart of the record-length stand-off between the linguistic groups.
The parties said negotiations on other issues, such as economic and social policy, will continue.
"Our work is far from over, and we still need a lot of negotiation," they said in a joint statement.
After a 459-day stalemate, already considered a world record, news of the breakthrough was lauded in local media as historic.
"We have crossed a difficult bridge," said Joelle Milquet, head of the Francophone Democratic Humanist party.
Over the past months, politicians have increasingly worried about the problems in Europe's financial markets.
Caretaker Prime Minister Yves Leterme took as many social and economic decisions as his remit allowed, but negotiators realized drastic action had to be taken.
Elections last year brought the Dutch-speaking separatist New Flemish Alliance party to the fore, and at first it was including in negotiations. But when no compromise could be found, the traditional parties tried to go it alone.
The insistence on greater self-rule for 6 million Dutch-speaking Flemings was always central in negotiations. Parties representing the 5 million Francophones sought to maintain a status quo.
Negotiators stressed, however, that many hurdles needed to be cleared until a new government could take office.
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