Belgium Ends Record-Breaking Crisis, King Names PM

Socialist Party (PS) chairman, royal formator and Prime Minister to be, Elio di Rupo, leaves after an audience with King Albert II of Belgium in the Belvedere castle in Laeken/Laken Brussels, 05 December 2011.

Belgium's 18-month-long political deadlock has been finally brought to an end, as King Albert II named Elio Di Rupo as the country's next Prime Minister.

Thus, Di Rupo has become Belgium's first French-speaking prime minister in nearly 40 years. He now faces the task of leading a coalition of Socialists, Christian Democrats and Liberals, each of them respectively split in Dutch- and French-speaking parties.

Belgium's new government will be composed of 13 ministers and 6 state secretaries. The cabinet will be sworn in on Tuesday at the royal castle in Laeken, one day ahead of a general policy statement where Di Rupo is expected to outline his government program.

Belgium has already set a modern-day world record for being without a formal government. In April 2010, former Prime Minister Yves Leterme, leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party, resigned after the loss of support of his coalition partners, the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats.

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