Belgian PM resigns after Flemish liberal party withdrawal
14:12, 23 April 2010
BRUSSELS. April 23. KAZINFORM Prime Minister Yves Leterme resigned Thursday after the Flemish liberal Open VLD party withdrew from the ruling coalition, a minister said; Kazinform refers to Xinhua.
Finance Minister Didier Reynders told reporters that there was no other choice for the government but to resign after the Flemish liberal party quit the coalition.
King Albert II has not made a decision on whether to accept Leterme's resignation, but warned the crisis seriously threatens the country's standing in the European Union). Belgium is scheduled to take the EU's rotating presidency on July 1.
With the withdrawal of the Open VLD, Leterme's government holds only 76 out of the 150 seats in the lower house of parliament, a slim majority that makes it hard for him to govern; Kazinform cites Xinhua.
See www.xinhuanet.com