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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| PM's coalition ousted in Belgium | PM's coalition ousted in Belgium |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Belgians have voted to oust the coalition government of centre-right Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt after eight years in power. | Belgians have voted to oust the coalition government of centre-right Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt after eight years in power. |
| In the key Dutch-speaking region of Flanders, Flemish Christian Democrats made big gains. With 95% of votes counted, they had 30 of 150 seats. | In the key Dutch-speaking region of Flanders, Flemish Christian Democrats made big gains. With 95% of votes counted, they had 30 of 150 seats. |
| Mr Verhofstadt has admitted defeat and will offer his resignation to King Albert on Monday. | |
| The Christian Democrats will start lengthy talks to form a new coalition. | The Christian Democrats will start lengthy talks to form a new coalition. |
| Negotiations are expected to take at least a month. | Negotiations are expected to take at least a month. |
| Divisive figure | Divisive figure |
| Leader of the Christian Democrats, Yves Leterme, immediately called for constitutional changes to devolve power to the regions - Dutch-speaking Flanders, in the north, and French-speaking Wallonia, in the south. | Leader of the Christian Democrats, Yves Leterme, immediately called for constitutional changes to devolve power to the regions - Dutch-speaking Flanders, in the north, and French-speaking Wallonia, in the south. |
| It has been an honour to lead the country and its people. I take personal responsibility for the results Guy Verhofstadt | It has been an honour to lead the country and its people. I take personal responsibility for the results Guy Verhofstadt |
| "It is time for change. People want a different course," Mr Leterme said. | "It is time for change. People want a different course," Mr Leterme said. |
| He has previously caused controversy by saying that a united Belgium was an "accident of history" and that the country has no "intrinsic value". | He has previously caused controversy by saying that a united Belgium was an "accident of history" and that the country has no "intrinsic value". |
| Ceding defeat, Mr Verhofstadt said he had done his best but he was to blame for his party's loss at the polls. | Ceding defeat, Mr Verhofstadt said he had done his best but he was to blame for his party's loss at the polls. |
| "It has been an honour to lead the country and its people. I take personal responsibility for the results," he said. | "It has been an honour to lead the country and its people. I take personal responsibility for the results," he said. |
| His Flemish Liberal Democrats party slumped to fourth place with 18 seats, just ahead of the far-right Vlaams Belang - Flemish Interests - party, which won 17 seats. | His Flemish Liberal Democrats party slumped to fourth place with 18 seats, just ahead of the far-right Vlaams Belang - Flemish Interests - party, which won 17 seats. |
| The French-speaking Reform Movement took second place with 22 seats, while the French-speaking Socialists won 21. | The French-speaking Reform Movement took second place with 22 seats, while the French-speaking Socialists won 21. |
| No single party bridges the linguistic and geographic gulf between Belgium's two regions. | No single party bridges the linguistic and geographic gulf between Belgium's two regions. |
| Traditionally, the prime minister comes from one of the majority Flemish parties. | Traditionally, the prime minister comes from one of the majority Flemish parties. |