Belgian Prime Minister "Resigns"

King Albert II of Belgium and his cabinet secretary Jacques Van Yperseel de Strihou (R) leave Laeken/Laken Royal Castle. Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme has decided to resign after a key partner withdrew from his governing coalition. Photo by EPA

Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme has decided to resign after a key partner withdrew from his governing coalition.

Leterme had gone to King Albert to tender his government's resignation following an emergency cabinet meeting on Thursday, officials said.

It is not clear whether the king will accept Leterme's resignation.

The collapse of the government threw into doubt the scheduled parliamentary debate on a law that would ban full-face Muslim veils being worn in public.

It would have been the first such law introduced by a European country.

The coalition fell apart after the Flemish liberal party, Open VLD, withdrew over a long-running dispute on the rights of French speakers living in Dutch-speaking areas near the capital Brussels.

"There was no other choice but for the government to resign," Finance Minister Didier Reynders told reporters.

It is the third time Leterme, 49, has offered his resignation to the king.