clipped from: www.iht.com BRUSSELS, Belgium: Belgians woke up to the news Wednesday that two Dutch-speaking and three French-speaking parties will form an emergency government to tackle issues neglected during 192 days of deadlock that followed June elections.
It will be led by Guy Verhofstadt, the outgoing premier, who is to be sworn in Friday.
He spent a week assembling an alliance of Christian Democrats and Liberals — each split into Dutch- and French-speaking camps — and Francophone Socialists.
Belgium has been without a permanent government since the June 10 parliamentary elections.
In wealthier Flanders, a region of 6.5 million, more self-rule is supported by all parties. But politicians in poorer Wallonia, with its 4 million residents, accuse Dutch-speakers of seeking to wrest social security from the hands of the federal government. That, they say, would mean the end of Belgium.