Belgium Finally Gets a Government

A record 541 days without an elected administration comes to an end after left-leaning parties form a "coalition."

Belgium, a land of chocolate, beer, comics, and peeing statues, finally has something that every other developed country in the world has, too: a government. Five-hundred-and-forty-one days after the previous Belgian government collapsed over linguistic divisions (the French-speaking south and Flemish-speaking north have never really got along), Belgium's King Albert II has successfully convinced a hodgepodge of left-leaning parties – including Liberals, Socialists, and Christian Democrats – to form a new government. A caretaker government had been in place since June of last year. The new coalition will be led by Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, a bowtie-wearing 60-year-old Socialist who was raised in poverty by Italian immigrant parents. He also happens to be gay. He can't speak Dutch too well, but has promised to learn the language. The new government has a lot of work ahead of them – just 10 days ago, Belgium had its credit rating downgraded, and the new administration must work together to put together an austerity budget that satisfies the demands of the European Union.