Most of all, Belgians handled the crisis with a lot of humour amid serious protests for a new government. Although Christian-Democratic and Liberal parties on both sides of the language border have under his mandate succeeded in concluding several partial agreements – on justice and immigration for example – an overall agreement is still not certain as three vital issues remain to be solved. Photo by @edanhier • • • • • #WELOVEBRUSSELS . Belgium's political impasse has easily broken a 289 day world record set by Iraq after its general election in 2010, the first that was openly and fully contested, despite violence from insurgents, since the US-led invasion on 2003. have drained nationalism from the political arena in Belgium, they have also removed the belief, unity and solidarity needed to sustain any modern state. The richer Dutch speaking Flanders is located in the north. But this Friday, April 22, Belgium will become the undisputed world record holder when it hits the first anniversary of the Belgian government's collapse. Belgium is a patchwork of Dutch speakers and French speakers, founded in 1830 on pragmatic values of cooperation and conciliation, but it lacks a sense of national unity to push people together, De Vos says. The Directorate-general Coordination and European Affairs, Services to the citizens and European training, The International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF). However, before the June 2010 elections, the Laterme II government had ended with Prime Minister Yves Leterme's resignation, which was accepted by King Albert II on 26 April 2010. About Belgium. See more on Belgium moving toward a burqa ban. After the final resignation of Prime Minister Yves Leterme in April 2010, early federal elections were held two months later but the crisis dragged on until 2011. 30/10/2020. Its multitude of apolitical civil servants kept government services up and running. The world record for a democracy going without an elected government is held by Belgium, which went 589 days in 2010-11 because the opposing Flemish and … You would think that a country would fall apart in the absence of a central government. Belgium on Sunday broke its own standing record for the longest political crisis and longest period without an elected government. Three months on from elections, Belgium is still struggling to form a new government, as Flemish and French-speaking parties remain at odds about the need for far-reaching state reforms – including the highly sensitive issue of devolution. And if that happens, it would be less a victory for regional self-determination and more one for cynical complacency. Thirdly, it is considered unlikely that there is enough money to implement all the partial agreements, making a re-negotiation of several of these deals necessary. You will also receive our weekly newsletter. However, this week saw what is probably the most dubious of the lot: Belgium broke the record for the world's longest wait for a government. ", Indeed, despite the ironic celebrations of the no-government record, most Belgians shrug at the deadlock, not caring much so long as they can still have a beer with their friends after work. He also succeeded in forming a coalition government among the Christian-Democratic Flemish party CD&V, the Humanist Democratic Centre (cdH), the Socialist Party (PS), the Socialist Party Differently (sp.a), the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open Vld), and the Reformist Movement (MR). "But the downside is that the Belgian people do not feel the need to pull together. "). We get paid, buses run, schools are open," says Marc De Vos, a professor at Ghent University and the general director of Itinera, a Brussels-based policy institute. The Francophone Socialist Party (PS), the largest in Wallonia, controlled 26 seats. . Indeed, Belgians have already held events across the country to mark the occasion. on 2019 Tour de France weekend in Brussels. Read more. Decisions of the Council of Ministers of 6 November 2020 . Although its national motto is "Strength Through Unity," Belgium is becoming increasingly divided between the 6.5 million Dutch speakers in the north and the 4.5 million French speakers in the south. Join today and save 40% on our yearly plan. A caretaker government has been running Belgium since elections on June 13, but despite countless negotiations among the fragmented political parties, the nation's leaders are not even close to an agreement on a new coalition. in the second half of 2010, and the caretaker government last month headed off market jitters over its debt levels by quickly agreeing on a tighter budget. How did the Belgians make it through the crisis? With their penchant for self-deprecating jokes, Belgians turned the situation into a source of fun and amusement. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. (1,059 kg) of Gouda — was carved in the coastal resort of Ostend. the Butterfly Agreement, the Brussels-Capital Region became an independent electoral and judicial district while Halle-Vilvoorde was transferred to Flemish Brabant jurisdiction. . They have warned that if there are no clear signs that French-speaking parties are willing to push through an extensive state reform by Wednesday (7 November), they will use their numerical superiority in parliament to unilaterally secede the controversial electoral district around Brussels. The Federal Government of Belgium (Dutch: Federale regering, French: ... After a record-breaking government formation, the Di Rupo Government was formed; Elio Di Rupo was the first francophone to hold the post of Prime Minister since Paul Vanden Boeynants left office in 1979. Flemish parties, increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress on state reform topics, have also issued an ultimatum, flaring up the tensions between the two sides on the negotiating table. Belgium finally secured a government on Monday after record-long talks to form a coalition that promises the most profound state reform in decades and a …