- Title: BELGIUM: Newly installed Prime Minister Yves Leterme vows to pursue state reforms
- Date: 22nd March 2008
- Summary: (BN12) BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (MARCH 20, 2008) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF BELGIAN PARLIAMENT BELGIAN SYMBOL GOLDEN LION AND BELGIAN FLAG INSIDE PARLIAMENT, DEPUTIES LISTENING TO NEW BELGIUM PRIME MINISTER YVES LETERME PRESENTING HIS GOVERNMENTAL DECLARATION CARPET WITH GOLDEN LIONS
- Embargoed: 6th April 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Belgium
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA6C82FKVYMA33QODDB5SQ70RC7
- Story Text: Flemish Christian Democrat Yves Leterme took over as Belgian prime minister on Thursday (March 20), ending nine months of deadlock that had prompted speculation the country could split apart.
But members of the new government will not have much breathing room; the battle over devolution of powers to the regions is expected to resume soon.
Leterme, former premier of Dutch-speaking Flanders, will head a five-party government after Dutch- and French-speaking parties ended their post-election squabbling over devolution.
Political analysts predict tensions will resurface in the next months over Flemish demands for more power to be given to the regions, which French-speaking parties oppose.
Presenting his government programme to the Parliament, Leterme said a reform of the state with new balance of power between the communities, the regions and the federal state was necessary.
''Dear colleagues, those months haven't been lost. Indeed, they clearly demonstrated that a new balance between the communities, the regions and the federal state is necessary, a reform of the state that would benefit all the citizens of our country - be they Flemish, Walloon, from Brussels or the German-speaking region,'' Leterme said.
The government, which is expected to pass a vote of confidence on Saturday (March 22), has set a July deadline for a major reform of the state.
''Dear colleagues, this government will pursue this important work.
That's why we will present a second proposition of law by mid-July with the same goals. That's the way we will work, step after step, to the necessary reform of our state,'' Leterme said.
Leterme was elected with a coalition with the Flemish nationalist party N-VA led by Bart de Wever. De Wever refused to enter the government because his party wasn't satisfied with the government's commitment on state reforms.
De Wever said challenges laid ahead.
''We are not satisfied at all. The only thing this government has is an agreement to make an agreement by the 15th of July. So we will wait and see what's really in this agreement,'' de Wever said.
Belgium's foreign minister, Karel de Gucht, said he hoped the nomination of a new government would be good for Belgium's image abroad.
''This very long crisis has certainly had an impact for the image of our country in foreign countries but I am quite convinced that once this government will start to work and will show it is able to work, those disadvantages we experienced during the last nine months will very soon disappear,'' de Gucht said.
The business community also welcomed the prospect of a fully fledged government, saying it is good for would-be foreign investors.
The political stalemate sent investors scurrying out of the country's debt. The spread between yields on Belgian government bonds and those on benchmark German bunds have soared, although mainly due to the credit crisis.
De Gucht also commented on Osama bin Laden's latest message released on Wednesday (March 19). In the audio message posted on the Internet, bin Laden threatened the European Union with grave punishment for the publication of cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohammed. The CIA said it was confident the voice was genuine.
''It is a worrying statement which obviously disturbs me because of freedom of speech but which is also worrying because of the security and we attach particular importance to the security of the European institutions on our territory,'' de Gucht said.
De Gucht added the government hadn't yet discussed the matter. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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