2010 Belgian federal election

none Belgium 2007 2014 2010 06 13 yes yes Chamber of Representatives All 150 seats in the Chamber of Representatives 76 89.22% New Flemish Alliance Bart De Wever 5 27 17.40 Parti Socialiste (Belgium) Elio Di Rupo 20 26 13.70 Mouvement Réformateur Didier Reynders 23 18 9.28 Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams Marianne Thyssen 25 17 10.85 Socialistische Partij Anders Caroline Gennez 14 13 9.24 Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten Alexander De Croo 18 13 8.64 Vlaams Belang Bruno Valkeniers 17 12 7.76 Centre démocrate humaniste Benoît Lutgen 10 9 5.52 Ecolo Jean-Michel JavauxSarah Turine 8 8 4.80 Groen (political party) Wouter Van Besien 4 5 4.38 Libertair, Direct, Democratisch Jean-Marie Dedecker 5 1 3.74 People's Party (Belgium) Mischaël Modrikamen new 1 1.29 yes Senate 40 of 71 seats in the Senate New Flemish Alliance Bart De Wever 1 9 19.61 Parti Socialiste (Belgium) Elio Di Rupo 4 7 13.62 Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams Marianne Thyssen 8 4 9.99 Socialistische Partij Anders Caroline Gennez 4 4 9.48 Mouvement Réformateur Didier Reynders 6 4 9.27 Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten Alexander De Croo 5 4 8.24 Vlaams Belang Bruno Valkeniers 5 3 7.60 Ecolo Jean-Michel JavauxSarah Turine 2 2 5.46 Centre démocrate humaniste Benoît Lutgen 2 2 5.13 Groen (political party) Wouter Van Besien 1 1 3.89 yes Maps 300px Chamber of Representatives results by electoral district 300px Senate direct election results by electoral district Federal Government Leterme II Government Di Rupo Government Federal elections were held in Belgium on 13 June 2010,http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/news/100505_june10 It's a June 13th election deredactie.be 2010-05-05 2010-05-06 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20100514091606/http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/news/100505_june10 2010-05-14 during the midst of the 2007–11 Belgian political crisis. After the fall of the previous Leterme II Government over the withdrawal of Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open VLD) from the government the King dissolved the legislature and called new elections. The New Flemish Alliance, led by Bart De Wever, emerged as the plurality party with 27 seats, just one more than the francophone Socialist Party, led by Elio Di Rupo, which was the largest party in the Wallonia region and Brussels.Zuvela, Matt and Connor, Richard (13 June 2010). Party supporting Belgian division claims election victory. Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 14 June 2010. It took a world record 541 days until a government was formed, resulting in a government led by Di Rupo.Belgium to have new government after world record 541 days The Daily Telegraph https://web.archive.org/web/20230531124000/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/8936857/Belgium-to-have-new-government-after-world-record-541-days.html 2023-05-31 live https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/8936857/Belgium-to-have-new-government-after-world-record-541-days.html Yves Leterme served as the caretaker prime minister of the country for the period that it had no official government.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13725277 Life without government, the Belgian way Mulvey Stephen 2011-06-13 BBC News 2018-01-31 en-GB Background Fall of the government Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde Following a continued lack of agreement over how to resolve the conflict over the electoral arrondissement of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde, the liberal Open VLD left the government on 22 April 2010, continuing the 2007–2011 Belgian political crisis. Prime Minister Yves Leterme (Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams, CD&V) immediately offered his resignation to King Albert II, who accepted it on 26 April 2010. Following the elections held on 13 June, there were fears that coalition-building may take so long that Belgium's presidency of the Council of the European Union, which starts on 1 July 2010, might have to start under a caretaker government.https://montrealgazette.com/life/Belgium+government+falls+future+unity+line/2952993/story.html Belgium's government falls, future unity on line Montreal Gazette 2010-04-26 2010-05-01 https://web.archive.org/web/20100429161505/http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Belgium%2Bgovernment%2Bfalls%2Bfuture%2Bunity%2Bline/2952993/story.html 29 April 2010 dead https://www.irishexaminer.com/world/arid-30455443.html Belgium's king accepts government's resignation Irish Examiner 2010-04-26 2010-05-01http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/international/belgischer_koenig_akzeptiert_ruecktritt_von_ministerpraesident_leterme_1.5566177.html Belgischer König akzeptiert Rücktritt von Regierungschef Nzz.ch 2010-04-26 2010-05-01 de https://web.archive.org/web/20100429100455/http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/international/belgischer_koenig_akzeptiert_ruecktritt_von_ministerpraesident_leterme_1.5566177.html 29 April 2010 live Constitutionality of elections According to a statement by the Flemish President of the Constitutional Court, Marc Bossuyt, the elections might be ruled unconstitutional unless the Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde arrondissement is split up beforehand.http://derstandard.at/1271375308067/Regierung-Leterme-endgueltig-gescheitert Regierung Leterme endgültig gescheitert Derstandard.at 2010-04-26 2010-05-01 de https://web.archive.org/web/20100429180925/http://derstandard.at/1271375308067/Regierung-Leterme-endgueltig-gescheitert 29 April 2010 livehttp://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/989/Binnenland/article/detail/52239/2007/11/13/Verkiezingen-2009-ongrondwettelijk-zonder-oplossing-BHV.dhtml Verkiezingen 2009 ongrondwettelijk zonder oplossing BHV De Morgen 2007-11-13 2007-11-14 nlhttp://www.vrtnieuws.net/cm/vrtnieuws.net/nieuws/politiek/071113grondwettelijkhof Geen verkiezingen zonder oplossing BHV Vrtnieuws.net 2007-11-13 2007-11-13 nl https://web.archive.org/web/20071114051240/http://www2.vrtnieuws.net/cm/vrtnieuws.net/nieuws/politiek/071113grondwettelijkhof 14 November 2007 livehttp://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelid=DMF13112007_094 Zonder oplossing BHV geen grondwettelijke verkiezingen De Standaard 2007-11-13 2007-11-14 nl https://web.archive.org/web/20071114135929/http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelid=DMF13112007_094 14 November 2007 livehttp://www.lalibre.be/article.phtml?id=10&subid=90&art_id=383007 Marc Bossuyt entame sa présidence en force La Libre Belgique 2007-11-14 2007-11-14 fr On 4 May, all but one Flemish judge-president of the 13 Flemish Courts of First Instance wrote a collective letter, saying that the elections cannot be held with the current electoral districts and that a return to the previous electoral arrondissements is necessary.http://www.hbvl.be/nieuws/binnenland/aid925447/rechters-hebben-de-plicht-mee-te-werken-aan-verkiezingen.aspx Rechters hebben de plicht mee te werken aan verkiezingen Hbvl.be 2010-05-04 2010-05-06 nl https://web.archive.org/web/20100507094853/http://www.hbvl.be/nieuws/binnenland/aid925447/rechters-hebben-de-plicht-mee-te-werken-aan-verkiezingen.aspx 7 May 2010 live In contrast, Ghislain Londers, the president of the Court of Cassation declared that all judges are obliged to cooperate with the electoral process. Before the judges' letters, former president of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives Herman De Croo stated that no court could prevent the elections from taking place. Importance of elections The international media saw the election as crucial to determine the future of the country, even though it was admitted that devolution would not happen immediately.http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2010/06/201061352529302994.html Unity at stake in Belgium vote - Europe Al Jazeera English 2010-06-15 https://web.archive.org/web/20100615004442/http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2010/06/201061352529302994.html 15 June 2010 live Date The parliament was dissolved by Declaration of Revision of the Constitution on 7 May 2010 and elections were called by royal order of the same day.7 MEI 2010. - Koninklijk besluit houdende bijeenroeping van de kiescolleges voor de verkiezing van de federale Wetgevende Kamers en bijeenroeping van de nieuwe federale Wetgevende Kamers The period with rules and limits on campaign spending (sperperiode), which normally runs three months prior to election day, started that day. Voting occurred on Sunday 13 June 2010 between 08:00 and 13:00 in polling stations with paper ballots, and between 08:00 and 15:00 in those with electronic voting. The newly elected parliament was to convene on 6 July 2010. Parties Political parties in Belgium thumb|300px| The primary six Flemish political parties and their results for the House of Representatives (Kamer). From 1978 to 2014, in percentages for the complete 'Kingdom'. Flemish parties (Dutch speaking) These Flemish parties field candidates in the regions of Flanders and the partially bilingual electoral district Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde. New Flemish Alliance (Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie, N-VA) – centre-right political party, seeking secession of Flanders. Christian Democratic and Flemish (Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams, CD&V) – Christian democratic party with historic ties to both trade unionism and corporative organizations. Socialist Party – Differently (Socialistische Partij – Anders, sp.a) – social-democratic party. Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten, open-VLD) – liberal party. Flemish Interest (Vlaams Belang) – seeking the independence of Flanders and strict limits on immigration. Green! (Groen!) – green political party. List Dedecker (Lijst Dedecker) – conservative-liberal party. Walloon parties (French speaking) These Francophone parties fielded candidates in the region of Wallonia and in the electoral district Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde. Socialist Party (Parti Socialiste, PS) – social-democratic party. Reformist Movement (Mouvement Réformateur , MR) – liberal party. Humanist Democratic Centre (Centre Démocrate Humaniste, CDH) – Christian democratic party. Ecolo – green political party. People's Party (Parti Populaire) – conservative-liberal party. Candidates List of candidates in the 2010 Belgian federal election Leterme stepped aside on 28 April 2010 and was replaced as leader of CD&V by Marianne Thyssen.https://www.foxnews.com/world/belgian-leader-steps-aside-early-election-ahead Belgian leader steps aside, early election ahead Associated Press foxnews.com 28 April 2010 28 February 2019 Notable newcomers in politics: Rik Torfs, former canon law professor at the Catholic University of Leuven, was on the Senate list for CD&V. Siegfried Bracke, former political analyst at the Flemish public broadcaster VRT was first on the Chamber list in East Flanders for N-VA. Eva Brems, human rights professor at Ghent University and former president of the Flemish division of Amnesty International. She was head of the Chamber list in Flemish Brabant for Groen!.Bio Eva Brems – Groen! https://web.archive.org/web/20100611042735/http://evabrems.be/bio 2010-06-11 Retrieved on 2010-06-14 Polls As of May 26, it appeared that the major development in the election was the surge in popularity of the N-VA in Flanders. Led by Bart De Wever, it supports eventual independence for Flanders, and an immediate switch from a federal Belgium to a confederal Belgium. The N-VA replaces the CD&V of outgoing PM Yves Leterme as the most popular party in Flanders. This development opens the question of how the francophone parties might react to forming a government with an openly sovereigntist, but politically centrist party if they do win a plurality of votes in Flanders. It appeared that the N-VA had attracted some popularity from the ethnic nationalist party, Vlaams Belang.Belgique: les indépendantistes flamands ont le vent en poupe Liberation Jean Quatremer http://bruxelles.blogs.liberation.fr/coulisses/2010/05/belgique-les-ind%C3%A9pendantistes-flamands-ont-le-vent-en-poupe.html 2010-05-26 2010-05-26 fr https://web.archive.org/web/20100528041111/http://bruxelles.blogs.liberation.fr/coulisses/2010/05/belgique-les-ind%C3%A9pendantistes-flamands-ont-le-vent-en-poupe.html 28 May 2010 live Flemish constituencyFrancophone constituencyDateSourceCD&VN-VAOpen VLD SP–AVBGroen!LDDPSMR–FDFCDHEcoloFNPPRWF10 June 20072007 election 29.6% 18.8% 16.3% 19.0% 6.3% 6.5% 29.5% 31.2% 15.8% 12.8% 5.6% / /29 March 2010La Libre BelgiqueAuteur: loa http://www.standaard.be/artikel/detail.aspx?artikelid=DMF20100328_092 De Standaard Online - N-VA tweede grootste in peiling La Libre-RTL Standaard.be 2009-04-30 2010-06-15 20.0% 17.8% 13.8% 15.5% 17.3% 8.1% 5.5%31.7%20.5%15.5%20.2% /4.3% /4 May 2010l'AvenirElections: Vers l'Avenir polls N-VA first in Flanders (in French), L'Écho, 418.9%22.9%14.8%14.2%12.5%7.9%3.9%32.5%21.1%18.2%17.6%2.9%<1%2.0%26 May 2010DimarsoElections: N-VA polls at 26%, first party in Flanders (in French), La DH, 2719.5%26.0%12.4%16.0%10.3%7.8%5.4%28 May 2010l'AvenirJune 201033.0%20.4%17.0%17.6%2.5%1.9%1.9%4 June 2010Standaard/VRTTNS-Media/Dimarso poll ordered by De Standaard and VRT, 419.0%25.2%13.9%13.8%11.5%8.2%6.2%June 2010La Libre BelgiqueIPSOS poll ordered by La Libre Belgique, Francophone results only for Wallonia, the francophone poll for Brussels is not included in these results, June16.2%26%13.6%16.3%15%6.8%4.3%30%20.2%16.1%18.9%4.1%4.1%/ Results After polls showed the N-VA receiving 29% of votes in their region, media interpreted the election as a "victory for Flemish independence".http://www.liberation.fr/monde/0101641106-les-belges-votent-sur-fond-de-crainte-de-scission-du-pays Belgique: victoire large et historique des indépendantistes flamands - Libération Liberation.fr 2010-06-15 https://web.archive.org/web/20100615005110/http://www.liberation.fr/monde/0101641106-les-belges-votent-sur-fond-de-crainte-de-scission-du-pays 15 June 2010 live The following tables contain percentages on the national level (i.e. the result of N-VA is 17.4% on the national level, while it is 27.8% on the regional level). Chamber of Representatives File:Chamberdesreps2010.svg New Flemish Alliance 1135617 N/A 27 +22 Parti Socialiste 894543 +2.84 26 +6 Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams 707986 N/A 17 –8 Mouvement Réformateur 605617 –3.24 18 –5 Socialistische Partij Anders 602867 N/A 13 –1 Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten 563873 –3.19 13 –5 Vlaams Belang 506697 –4.23 12 –5 Centre démocrate humaniste 360441 –0.53 9 –1 Ecolo 313047 –0.31 8 0 Groen! 285989 +0.40 5 +1 Lijst Dedecker 150577 –1.72 1 –4 Workers' Party of Belgium 101088 +0.70 0 0 People's Party 84005 New 1 New Wallonie d'Abord 36642 New 0 New Rassemblement Wallonie France 35743 +0.15 0 0 National Front 33591 –1.45 0 –1 Front des gauches 20734 New 0 New #D92528 BELG.UNIE 20665 New 0 New Front National+ 11553 New 0 New Pro Bruxsel 7201 New 0 New Left Socialist Party 6791 New 0 New Parti Pensionné PP 6688 New 0 New Vivant 6211 +0.01 0 0 Wallon+ 5857 New 0 New EGALITE 5670 New 0 New RESPECT 5630 New 0 New Mouvement socialiste plus 2827 New 0 New #AF0202 MP Éducation 2572 +0.02 0 0 Vital 2259 +0.01 0 0 Pirate Party 2200 New 0 New Vrijheid 1576 New 0 New N 610 New 0 New 402488 0 7767552 IBZ Details Results by party (seats) Region Seats won per party Total seats Constituency N-VA CD&V SP.A VLD VB GROEN! LDDFlandersFlandersAntwerp Antwerp8 24 New Flemish Alliance4 24 Christian Democratic and Flemish3 24 Socialist Party Differently3 24 Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats4 24 Flemish Interest2 24 Green!24 88 grey Brussels B.H.V.3 9 New Flemish Alliance2 9 Christian Democratic and Flemish1 9 Socialist Party Differently2 9 Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats1 9 Flemish Interest9 88 grey East Flanders East Flanders6 20 New Flemish Alliance3 20 Christian Democratic and Flemish3 20 Socialist Party Differently4 20 Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats3 20 Flemish Interest1 20 Green!20 88 grey Belgium Leuven2 7 New Flemish Alliance1 7 Christian Democratic and Flemish1 7 Socialist Party Differently1 7 Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats1 7 Flemish Interest1 7 Green!7 88 grey Limburg (Belgium) Limburg4 12 New Flemish Alliance3 12 Christian Democratic and Flemish2 12 Socialist Party Differently1 12 Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats2 12 Flemish Interest12 88 grey West Flanders West Flanders4 16 New Flemish Alliance4 16 Christian Democratic and Flemish3 16 Socialist Party Differently2 16 Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats1 16 Flemish Interest1 16 Green!1 16 List Dedecker16 88 grey Total27 88 New Flemish Alliance17 88 Christian Democratic and Flemish13 88 Socialist Party Differently13 88 Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats12 88 Flemish Interest5 88 Green!1 88 List Dedecker88 88 grey PS MR CDH ECOLO PP WalloniaWalloniaBrussels B.H.V.4 13 Socialist Party (francophone Belgium)5 13 Reformist Movement2 13 Humanist Democratic Centre2 13 Ecolo13 62 grey Hainaut Hainaut11 19 Socialist Party (francophone Belgium)4 19 Reformist Movement2 19 Humanist Democratic Centre2 19 Ecolo19 62 grey Liège Liège7 15 Socialist Party (francophone Belgium)4 15 Reformist Movement2 15 Humanist Democratic Centre2 15 Ecolo15 62 grey Luxembourg (Belgium) Luxembourg1 4 Socialist Party (francophone Belgium)1 4 Reformist Movement2 4 Humanist Democratic Centre4 62 grey Namur Namur2 6 Socialist Party (francophone Belgium)2 6 Reformist Movement1 6 Humanist Democratic Centre1 6 Ecolo6 62 grey Walloon Brabant Walloon Brabant1 5 Socialist Party (francophone Belgium)2 5 Reformist Movement1 5 Ecolo1 5 People's Party (Belgium)5 62 grey Total26 62 Socialist Party (francophone Belgium)18 62 Reformist Movement9 62 Humanist Democratic Centre8 62 Ecolo1 62 People's Party (Belgium)62 62 grey Results by electoral constituencies (percentages) Region % won per party Constituency N-VA CD&V SP.A VLD VB GROEN! LDD OthersFlandersAntwerp 30.71 15.53 14.32 11.03 16.15 7.69 2.29 2.28B.H.V. 12.23 6.94 4.64 7.17 5.03 * — —East Flanders 28.15 15.40 14.15 17.40 12.33 7.36 3.19 2.04Leuven 27.05 16.26 17.79 14.51 9.61 9.79 3.14 1.86Limburg 28.83 18.81 18.14 12.10 12.79 4.81 2.89 1.62West Flanders 23.89 23.01 15.13 13.53 9.07 6.31 7.67 1.27 PS MR CDH ECOLO PP WalloniaB.H.V.16.74 19.178.077.99—12.01*Hainaut 48.18 17.52 11.47 9.41 2.75 10.67Liège 35.79 22.30 13.93 13.83 3.08 11.07Luxembourg 28.49 19.54 31.41 11.71 2.44 6.41Namur 32.20 24.65 15.92 13.38 3.12 10.73Walloon Brabant 22.48 35.79 12.89 16.33 5.04 7.47 Senate File:Sénat2010.svg New Flemish Alliance 1268780 N/A 9 +8 Parti Socialiste 880828 +3.37 7 +3 Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams 646375 N/A 4 –4 Socialistische Partij Anders 613079 N/A 4 0 Mouvement Réformateur 599618 –3.04 4 –2 Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten 533124 –4.16 4 –1 Vlaams Belang 491547 –4.29 3 –2 Ecolo 353111 –0.36 2 0 Centre démocrate humaniste 331870 –0.77 2 0 Groen! 251546 +0.25 1 0 Lijst Dedecker 130779 –1.36 0 –1 Workers' Party of Belgium 105060 +0.80 0 0 People's Party 98858 New 0 New Wallonie d'Abord 62251 New 0 New Rassemblement Wallonie France 40393 +0.14 0 0 Front des gauches 28346 New 0 New #D92528 Vivant 15462 New 0 New Left Socialist Party 7841 New 0 New Committee for Another Policy 6254 –0.10 0 0 Mouvement socialiste plus 3981 New 0 New #AF0202 460375 0 7767552 IBZ Chamber of Representatives (geographically) These maps depict the largest party in each constituency. Dutch-speaking constituencies 200px|Constituency West Flanders 200px|Constituency East Flanders 200px|Constituency Antwerp 200px|Constituency Limburg 200px|Cantons Flemish Brabant Legend: New Flemish Alliance Christian Democratic and Flemish SP.A Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats Reformist Movement Brussels, French- & German-speaking constituencies 100px|Cantons Brussels 150px|Constituency Walloon Brabant 220px|Constituency Hainaut 170px|Constituency Namur 220px|Constituency Liège 140px|Constituency Luxembourg Legend: Socialist Party (Belgium) Reformist Movement Humanist Democratic Centre Most popular candidates Candidates receiving the highest number of preferential votes. For the Senate:Senate 785,776 votes (19.63% of the Dutch electoral college) for Bart De Wever, New Flemish Alliance 322,540 votes (8.06% of the Dutch electoral college) for Marianne Thyssen, Christian Democratic and Flemish 301,917 votes (7.54% of the Dutch electoral college) for Alexander De Croo, Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats 264,167 votes (10.71% of the French electoral college) for Paul Magnette, Socialist Party (Belgium) 200.024 votes (5.00% of the Dutch electoral college) for Filip Dewinter, Vlaams Belang For the Chamber:Chamber 203,758 votes (28.19% of the constituency of Hainaut) for Elio Di Rupo, Socialist Party (Belgium) 101,940 votes (10.67% of the constituency of East Flanders) for Siegfried Bracke, New Flemish Alliance 101,830 votes (12.97% of the constituency of West Flanders) for Yves Leterme, Christian Democratic and Flemish 78.951 votes (7.20% of the constituency of Antwerp) for Inge Vervotte, Christian Democratic and Flemish 72.194 votes (11.92% of the Constituency of Liège) for Michel Daerden, Socialist Party (Belgium) Government formation 2010–2011 Belgian government formation On possible coalitions, election winner Bart De Wever announced he would seek negotiations with the Francophone Socialist Party.Keine Lösung des Sprachenstreits in Sicht. No solution for language dispute https://web.archive.org/web/20100616212543/http://www.orf.at/100613-52314/index.html 2010-06-16 (in German). orf.at. Retrieved 14 June 2010. The Socialist Party leader Elio di Rupo was tapped to become the next Prime Minister, because the socialist parties emerged as the largest "party family" in the elections, and because the New Flemish Alliance lacks a Francophone counterpart.Fallon, Amy (14 June 2010). Belgian election win for party that wants to split nation. The Guardian. Retrieved 14 June 2010.Erdrutschsieg für flämische Separatisten. Landslide victory for flemish separatists (in German). Der Standard. Retrieved 14 June 2010.Belgian elections: who could be next prime minister?. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 14 June 2010. Philip Blenkinsop of Reuters stated that the win of the New Flemish Alliance could have negative effects because "Belgium can ill afford drawn-out coalition talks because it has a large debt and any policy paralysis could make the country vulnerable on financial markets that are closely watching a sovereign debt crisis."Blenkinsop Philip https://leaderpost.com/life/Separatists+claim+victory+Belgian+election/3147508/story.html#ixzz0ql1GZKhL Separatists claim victory in Belgian election Leaderpost.com 2010-06-15 https://web.archive.org/web/20100619162654/http://www.leaderpost.com/life/Separatists%2Bclaim%2Bvictory%2BBelgian%2Belection/3147508/story.html#ixzz0ql1GZKhL 19 June 2010 dead Coalition formation continued for a record-breaking 541 days, with a government under Elio Di Rupo eventually being formed on 6 December 2011 after agreement was reached on the 2012 budget. The Di Rupo I Government included the Liberal, Socialist and Christian Democratic parties from both Flanders and Wallonia. The government excludes the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA), the Greens of Groen and Ecolo, Vlaams Belang on the right, the Lijst Dedecker and the People's Party. N-VA's absence, together with the unwillingness of Open Vld to enter into an eight-party coalition that included the green parties, meant the government coalition lacked a majority in the Dutch language group. It was the first time that the Belgian prime minister has been openly gay and the world's first male openly gay head of governmentJackson Patrick Profile: Belgium's Elio Di Rupo https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15983739 BBC 8 December 2011 Belgium was thus the second European country to have a homosexual prime minister, after Iceland (Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir). Elio Di Rupo was the first native French-speaking prime minister since 1979 and the first Walloon prime minister since 1974. References 30em External links Tractothèque - Electoral posters and leaflets NSD: European Election Database - Belgium https://web.archive.org/web/20100812183751/http://www.nsd.uib.no/european_election_database/country/belgium/ 2010-08-12 publishes regional level election data; allows for comparisons of election results, 1991–2010 Federal Category:Federal elections in Belgium Category:June 2010 in Europe Category:June 2010 elections