Surprise move
September 14, 2011
Belgium's caretaker prime minister has made a surprise resignation, amid deadlock in talks to end the country's longest political crisis.
Caretaker Premier Yves Leterme made a late Tuesday announcement that he would quit to run for a job at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The announcement came as feuding politicians prepared to gather for a last-ditch attempt to strike a coalition deal after 458 days without a cabinet.
Belgium's King Albert II rushed back from holiday in France to try and rescue the talks. The French-speaking Le Soir newspaper said prime minister-designate Elio Di Rupo, a French-speaking Socialist, would resume "last chance" talks with his prospective coalition partners on Wednesday.
Although Leterme officially resigned from his post over a year ago, he continued to run Belgium as head of a caretaker government.
Belgium has been left without a government since June 10 elections last year failed to produce a governing majority. The country has been run since April 2010 by a caretaker cabinet due to a deep split between northern Flemish Dutch-speaking separatists and southern French-speakers.
Author: Catherine Bolsover (AFP, dpa)
Editor: Andreas Illmer