Belgium plunges back into political crisis

Belgium plunged back into political crisis yesterday after Prime Minister Yves Leterme tendered his resignation, having failed to push through measures to devolve more power to the regions.

Mr Leterme only became Prime Minister in March, after nine months of deadlock between parties from either side of the country's linguistic divide that led to speculation Belgium might break apart.

He had set today as deadline for Dutch- and French-speaking parties to agree on a reform of the state and was due to present the plans to parliament yesterday.

But late on Monday Mr Leterme suddenly offered his resignation to King Albert. The palace said in a statement early yesterday that the king had yet to decide whether to accept the end of Mr Leterme's government or not.

The king is expected to consult senior Belgian politicians before settling on a next step. He could ask Mr Leterme to stay on or turn to another member of his government, such as French-speaking Finance Minister Didier Reynders.

"I think we can talk of a crisis, that's obvious. When the prime minister resigns, even if it is suspended, then there is a crisis," Reynders told RTBF radio.

Mr Leterme's Flemish Christian Democrats, and above all their nationalist NVA allies, had to realise they could not win all their demands for more power for Dutch-speaking Flanders in a constitutional reform that French-speakers could accept, said Mr Reynders.

NVA leader Bart de Wever said Mr Leterme's plan consisted simply of putting the issue of power-sharing between the central government and the regions in a deep freeze.

"There is nothing in it," the Flemish nationalist said.

A new general election is a further option, although few of the parties currently in government would gain, according to opinion polls.

"Over and out," was the headline in Flemish daily De Morgen.