Belgium Police Use Water Cannons And Tear Gas To Control Mass Demostrations Against Covid-19 Restrictions

 

Daily Mail: Riot police blast protestors with water cannon and tear gas as thousands march through Brussels demanding end to tough COVID rules as Omicron 'tsunami' hits Belgium with more than 60,000 cases a day 

* Belgian police resorted to using powerful water cannons and tear gas to control mass protests in Brussels 

* Up to 50,000 people today marched through the EU capital to oppose coronavirus restrictions in Belgium 

* Brussels police said 70 people were detained and three officers and 12 demonstrators required treatment 

* Comes after country saw record 60,000 cases a day in what was described as an Omicron 'tsunami' 

* Many EU countries, including Belgium, have seen major protests against Covid restrictions in recent months 

* Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced on Friday that a 'Covid barometer' will be introduced 

* Barometer will be colour-coded and allow authorities to link coronavirus measures and restrictions to hospitalisation numbers and ICU capacity 

Belgian police resorted to firing powerful water cannons and using tear gas to control mass demonstrations in Brussels against the EU nation's Covid-19 restrictions earlier today. 

Today's protest saw up to 50,000 people demonstrating in the capital of the European Union, including many who had traveled from France, Germany and other European countries to take part and voice their anger. 

Protesters yelled 'Liberty!' as they marched through the streets of Brussels and clashed violently with police, while videos emerged of black-clad protesters attacking a building used by the European Union's diplomatic service, hurling projectiles at its entrance and smashing windows.  

Read more ....  

Update #1: Water cannon, tear gas at COVID-19 protests in Brussels (AP)  

Update #2: Brussels police fire water cannon, tear gas during COVID curbs protest (Reuters)  

WNU Editor: I have a friend who lives in southern Belgium. He is in his early thirties and he has never participated in a demonstration until today.

To me this a red flag. 

When people who are not political start to get involved in protests and demonstrations, it tells me that the general population is becoming frustrated and angry. And in the case of my young friend. He is definitely angry and frustrated.

Update #3: The German government is also worried on the spread and the sheer number of people showing up at these protests .... German Government “Concerned” About Massive Anti-COVID Restriction Protests (Summit News).

Belgium Becomes The Fourth Country In Europe Under Complete 'Lock-Down'

Euronews: Coronavirus: Which countries are under lockdown, and who's next?

Four European Union member states have imposed lockdowns to combat the spread of the potentially deadly COVID-19 virus while travellers hoping to get into the bloc are being turned away.

Belgium became the latest EU country to introduce a lockdown on Wednesday, joining France, Italy and Spain.

At least 3,426 people across the EU and the UK have died from the disease and the continent has now been dubbed the "epicentre of the epidemic" by the World Health Organisation.

Italy has been particularly affected, accounting for more than 70% of the bloc's fatalities, and is now on track to surpass China's own deadly toll.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Belgium joins France, Italy and Spain. Here are two easy predictions. Other EU countries are going to join this lock-down, and the existing four will be extending their"lock-downs". The first country that will be extending its lock-down will be France .... France may extend lockdown as 'idiots' flout rules (AFP).

Belgium’s Army Forced To Use Drivers No Taller Than 5ft 7in For Its Armoured Vehicles After Refit

One of the upgraded Pandur APCs can be seen in an undated photo from the Belgian Defence Ministry website. In a drive to improve safety of their fleet of 44 Pandur armoured vehicles, the Belgian military spent £26 million but significantly reduced the size of the interior chamber

Daily Mail: Belgium’s army is forced to use drivers no taller than 5ft 7in for its armoured vehicles after refit reduced the size of the interior (and the typical Belgian is 5ft 10in!)

* Belgian military splurged £26 million on upgrades to their fleet of Pandur APCs
* Belgians are some of the tallest people in the world & the average man is 5ft10in
* Defence ministry said that these vehicles have always had the height restrictions

An expensive upgrade to a fleet of armoured vehicles in Belgium will disqualify most soldiers from using it because the modifications have drastically reduced the size of the interior.

With some of the tallest people in the world, an average Belgian man measures 5ft 10in but the internal cabin will hold no one above 5ft 7in.

In a drive to improve safety of their fleet of 44 Pandur armoured cars, the Belgian military spent £26 million but made them too small.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Oopppsss!

Thousands Protest In Brussels Against Adoption Of U.N. Migration Pact

DW: Tear gas, dozens of arrests at Brussels anti-migration demo

Around 5,500 people have rallied in the European quarter in the Belgian capital against the new UN migration pact. Prime Minister Charles Michel's decision to support the accord has left the government in disarray.

Thousands of people marched through Brussels on Sunday in opposition to a United Nations pact aimed at boosting cooperation over migration.

Police said some 5,500 people took part in the protest, organized by Flemish right-wing parties in the part of the Belgian capital where the main European Union institutions are located.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: From what I am seeing in the pictures and videos .... and like the current unrest in France .... many of the demonstrators/protestors are people in the 30s and 40s.

More News On Today's Protests In Brussels Against The Adoption Of U.N. Migration Pact

Thousands march in Brussels against U.N. migration pact -- Reuters
Anti-migrant protesters clash with police in Brussels -- The Guardian
Belgian police fire tear gas, water cannons at anti-immigration protesters in Brussels -- ABC News Online
Brussels protest against UN migration pact turns violent -- Politico
Water cannon, firecrackers as thousands rally against UN migration pact in Brussels (PHOTO, VIDEO) -- Rioters
Dramatic photos show far-right activists getting pelted with a water cannon during a migration protest in Brussels -- Business Insider

Belgium Coalition Government Collapses Over UN Migration Compact

Politico: Belgium sets up minority government after migration dispute breaks coalition

Right-wing N-VA’s opposition to UN migration pact costs prime minister his parliamentary majority.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel rushed to reshuffle his government and stave off its collapse Sunday morning as his tenuous pact with Flemish nationalists finally reached a breaking point over an international migration pact.

King Philippe of Belgium on Sunday allowed Michel to reorganize his government without the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA). The party's objection to the U.N. Global Compact on Migration forced the ruling coalition to break apart Saturday night.

Michel replaced ministers from the N-VA, including Interior Minister Jan Jambon and Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Theo Francken, local media reported.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Even though the Belgium parliament voted in favor of the UN migration compact, it is not a popular measure. The next election in Belgium is in May, and this is going to be an important issue.

More News On The Belgium Coalition Government Collapsing Over The UN Migration Compact

Belgian PM relaunches government as minority after ally quits -- Reuters
Belgian PM set for minority after biggest ally quits coalition in migration treaty row -- France 24
Belgian PM reshuffles cabinet after right-wing party quits over UN migration pact -- DW
Belgium's government loses majority over UN migration pact -- The Guardian
Government in Belgium Loses Majority Over U.N. Migration Pact -- The New York Times
Belgian prime minister forms minority government after biggest party in coalition quits -- Euronews

Belgium Nuclear Security Officer Was Murdered With His Security Badge Missing Two Days After The Brussels Terror Attack

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Daily Mail: Terror alert after Belgian nuclear plant guard is murdered and his security pass is stolen amid concerns terrorists are plotting an attack on power station

* Security guard at a Belgian nuclear plant was murdered in Charleroi area
* When he was found, his security pass for site had been taken from him
* Officials quickly cancelled his security pass so nobody could try to use it
* Nuclear power plants are known to be targets for the terror network behind the Brussels bombings

A security guard who worked at a Belgian nuclear plant was murdered and had his security pass stolen, just two days after the Brussels terror attacks.

Belgian media reported today that the security guard, named as Didier Prospero, was walking his dog in the Charleroi region of Belgium when he was shot dead.

However, as soon as it emerged that his security pass had been stolen, it was quickly cancelled so nobody could gain access to the site using it.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Coincidence?

More News On The Murder Of A Nuclear Security Guard And His Missing Security-Pass

Belgian nuclear guard shot and security access badge stolen: media -- Reuters
Brussels attacks: Nuclear alert after security officer 'found dead with his pass missing' -- The Telegraph
Guard At Belgium Nuclear Plant Slain, Pass Stolen -- IBTimes
Guard at ‘terror target’ Belgian nuclear site killed, access badge stolen – media -- RT
Belgium’s nuclear plants face cyber-attacks - claims -- RFI
EU counterterror chief warns of cyberattack threat to Belgium's nuclear plants -- DW
Officials reportedly have concerns over security at Belgian nuclear plants -- FOX News
Brussels attacks stoke fears about security of Belgian nuclear facilities -- Washington Post
Belgium Fears Nuclear Plants Are Vulnerable -- NYT

Belgium Intelligence And Security Forces Are Broken

John Lloyd, Reuters: The world’s spies agree Belgian intelligence is broken

The attack on Europe’s political capital on Tuesday has been widely blamed on bad intelligence; not just the dysfunctional separation of powers in Belgium, but on the lack of sharing of information among the many intelligence services of the 28 states of the European Union. The services in the former Communist states to the east were reconfigured after the collapse of the Soviet-backed regimes in 1990, but some still contain habits — and in a few cases personnel — from the days when they saw the West European states’ agencies as the enemy. Sharing, even at a low level, is tentative.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: What's my take. A security organization that does not enough resources .... faced with a massive Muslim-immigrant community that feels alienated from Belgium society and where many of its citizens have gone to fight in the Middle East .... coupled with a political establishment that is deeply divided on numerous issues and not focused on security .... what can one say but that this was a disaster that was about to happen. That is why I am not surprised by this .... Number of terrorists, victims: Mysteries remain 2 days after Brussels attack (USA Today).

More News On The State Of Belgium's Security And Intelligence Forces

Brussels attacks a 'failure of intelligence': Belgian terrorism expert -- SBS
Experts: Belgium often comes up short in preventing attacks -- AP
Belgian security forces under scrutiny after Brussels attacks -- AFP
Islamic State threat in Europe ‘more urgent’ than feared, security chief warns -- Washington Post
Belgium’s Security Failures Made the Brussels Attacks All But Inevitable -- Vivienne Walt, Time
Brussels Attacks: Belgian Intelligence Services 'Overwhelmed and Outnumbered by Jihadists' -- Newsweek
Brussels attacks highlight how Belgium became hub of Islamist terror -- Kim Sengupta, The Independent
Brussels attacks another reminder of Belgian security's weak link -- Robin Emmott, Reuters
Brussels attacks: Belgian intelligence service seen as weak link in Europe -- Irish Times
Why Belgium is the 'weakest link' in Europe’s fight against violent extremists -- Colin Daileda and Megan Specia, Mashable
US counterterrorism experts claim Belgian security services are 's*****' and like children for their failure to stop jihadi strikes -- Daily Mail
U.S. Officials Bash ‘Shitty’ Belgian Security Forces -- Michael Weiss & Nancy A. Youssef & Nadette De Visser, Daily Beast
U.S. concerned terror plots accelerated after Brussels -- CBS/AP
As Terrorists Cross Borders, Europe Sees Anew That Its Intelligence Does Not -- New York Times
EU reportedly ordered Belgium to close security holes weeks before Brussels attacks -- FOX News
EU Discussing Security Measures After Brussels Attacks -- VOA
Why Europe must unify its intelligence networks -- Ben Caspit, Al-Monitor
Brussels Airport And Metro Bombings: Could EU Intelligence Sharing Have Stopped Belgian Terror Attacks? -- Jess Mchugh, IBTimes

Belgium Mayor Had A List Of ISIS Terrorists Before The Paris Massacre But Decided It Was 'Not Her Job' To Track Terrorists

Belgian soldiers and police officers on patrol Tuesday in central Brussels. Credit Benoit Tessier/Reuters

The Independent: Paris attacks: Belgian mayor 'had list of Isis terrorists including mastermind and gunmen' month before massacres

Françoise Schepmans said it was 'not her job' to track possible terrorists

Belgian authorities allegedly had a list of suspected jihadists including the “mastermind” of the Paris attacks and the two brothers who carried them out – a month before the massacre took place.

Françoise Schepmans, the mayor of the Molenbeek district of Brussels where several of the Isis extremists had lived, was allegedly handed the names and addresses of more than 80 people believed to be Islamist militants, the New York Times reported.

“What was I supposed to do about them? It is not my job to track possible terrorists,” Ms Schepmans reportedly said in an interview, claiming it was “the responsibility of the federal police”.

WNU Editor: The New York Times post on how dysfunctional Belgium has become is a must read .... Terrorism Response Puts Belgium in a Harsh Light (New York Times).

Brussels Remains Under High Alert

CNN: No sign of Paris suspect in Belgium raids as Brussels remains under high alert

Brussels, Belgium (CNN)Brussels remained under partial lockdown Monday after police carried out raids around the Belgian capital amid warnings of possible terrorist attacks similar to those that killed 130 people in Paris 10 days ago.

Five more people were arrested Sunday night, bringing to 21 the number of people arrested in raids across Brussels and in Charleroi, another Belgian city, said federal prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt.

But authorities found no firearms or explosives in the raids, suggesting they hadn't defused the threat that has prompted the government to raise the terrorism alert to its highest level for Brussels.

The operation also didn't uncover Salah Abdeslam, a key suspect in the November 13 attacks on Paris who fled to Belgium in the aftermath and remains on the loose.

More News On Brussels Continuing To Be Under High Alert

Belgium Extends Highest Threat Level for Brussels Capital Region -- Bloomberg
Brussels stays on top alert as manhunt goes on -- Reuters
Belgian police arrest 21 in raids, Salah Abdeslam at large -- France 24
Paris Suspect Eludes Police as Brussels Lockdown Drags On -- Bloomberg
Brussels on High Alert as Police Hunt Paris Attack Fugitive -- NYT/AP
Brussels Lockdown: 1,000 Cops Hunt Paris Suspect Salah Abdeslam -- NBC
New Suspect Named In Paris Attacks: Belgium Man Arrested After Officials Raid Muslim Neighborhood -- IBTimes
Belgium charges fourth suspect over Paris attacks: Darkness falls on Brussels' deserted streets with terror lockdown set to continue tomorrow as threat remains 'imminent' -- Daily Mail
Belgium Charges Suspect in Connection With Paris Attacks -- WSJ
Ghost town Brussels: Schools shut, shops deserted and metro closed as Belgium remains on lockdown after 21 are arrested in hunt for world's most wanted - who is seen 'heading towards Germany in a BMW' -- Daily Mail
Paris attacks: Belgium charges fourth suspect with role -- BBC
Brussels Remains On High Alert; Schools And Universities To Reopen This Week -- NPR
The Search for Potential Terrorists in Brussels -- The Atlantic

Belgium Conducts Terrorism Raids Across Brussels

NBC: 16 Arrested as Brussels Prepares for Third Day Under Maximum Threat

Sixteen people were arrested in Belgium after a series of raids Sunday across Brussels, although a fugitive wanted in connection with the Paris attacks wasn't among them, Belgian federal prosecutors said.

The raids came as heavily armed troops and police deployed across Brussels and as the city prepared to remain under maximum threat level for a third day Monday after warnings of a Paris-style attack. The country's prime minister, Charles Michel, described the threats as "serious and imminent."

"I indicated yesterday that what we are concerned about an attack similar to the one that was carried out in Paris involving several individuals and maybe targeting attacks on several sites simultaneously," Michel said.

More News On Today's Police Raids In Brussels

Several arrested in massive Brussels police operation -- CBS/AP
Belgian police arrest 16 terror suspects after raids across country -- The Guardian
Brussels Stays on Lockdown as Hunt for Terror Suspects Quickens -- Bloomberg
Paris suspect eludes Belgian dragnet, Brussels still in lockdown -- Reuters
Belgian police open fire on motorist who drove at them during terror raids as 16 people are arrested across Brussels BUT Salah Abdeslam is still on the loose -- Daily Mail
Salah Abdelslam evades Belgian police and 'heads for Germany' -- The Telegraph
Terrorism Raids in Belgium Yield 16 Arrests -- NYT
Main Paris Attack Suspect Remains at Large, After 16 Arrests in Brussels -- VOA
Special operations over in Brussels, 16 arrests and massive troops presence reported -- RT

Brussels Lock-Down Continues For A Second Day

The Guardian: Two terror suspects at large in Brussels as city remains locked down

Soldiers and armoured vehicles could remain on Belgian capital’s streets into next week amid fears of imminent Paris-style attack in the heart of the EU.

Two terrorists remain at large in Brussels and threaten to commit a “very dangerous act”, a senior official has said, as the Belgian capital enters its second day with soldiers and armoured vehicles continuing to keep the city in lockdown.

The mayor of one of Brussels’ municipalities said the area was still facing a grave threat, adding that suspects linked to the Paris terror attack that killed more than 130 last week remain on the run.

Schaerbeek’s mayor, Bernard Clerfayt, said on Sunday: “There are two terrorists in the Brussels region that could commit very dangerous acts.”

Belgium’s national crisis centre on Saturday raised the threat alert in the Brussels region to level four, which indicates a “serious and immediate threat.” Clerfayt said it was necessary to try to anticipate and prevent any such acts and their consequences. He said: “As long as this threat is present, we must be very attentive.”

More News On Belgium's Terror Alert

The Latest: Belgium: Several Suspects Could Be at Large -- AP
Belgium widens hunt with Brussels on maximum alert -- Reuters
Brussels reviews security alert, hunts 'several' suspects -- AFP
Terror attacks: Belgium 'looking for several suspects' -- BBC
Police Scour Brussels District in Terror Manhunt -- WSJ
Brussels remains under highest terror alert amid warning of 'imminent threat' -- CNN
Brussels Remains on Lockdown Amid Terror-Attack Fears -- WSJ
Western Leaders Vow to Destroy IS as Brussels Hunkers Down -- NYT/AP
Brussels on alert for second day as Europe faces continued terror threat -- Washington Post
Belgium to decide on extending Brussels lockdown -- Al Jazeera
Brussels Enters Second Day of Lockdown -- VOA
Brussels High Threat Alert Continues for 2nd Day -- ABC News

Brussels On Locked Down After Belgium Government Issues Terror Alert To Maximum

Daily Mail: Belgium on terror lockdown: Brussels metro closed and people warned to avoid public areas after 'serious and imminent threat' alert over Paris-style ISIS attack

* Brussels' metro network has been shut following security lockdown after terror threat level is raised in Belgium
* People have been warned to avoid public gatherings in Brussels after warning of 'imminent threat'
* Decision based on 'precise information' of Paris style attack, according to Belgium Prime Minister
* Belgian national arrested in Turkey under suspicion of scouting the ISIS target sites for Paris attacks

Brussels has been put into security lockdown after Belgian intelligence received 'precise information' of a planned Paris-style ISIS attack in the capital.

Belgium's prime minister Charles Michel confirmed that the decision to raise the terror alert level in Brussels was taken 'based on quite precise information about the risk of an attack like the one that happened in Paris.'

Service has been halted on the Brussels subway system and heavily armed police and soldiers are patrolling the Belgian capital amid a high security alert.

The country's national security center has raised the terror threat level to Level four after fears of a 'serious and imminent' terror threat involving 'weapons and explosives'.

More News On Belgium Issuing Its Highest Terror Alert

Brussels put on maximum alert on risk of Paris-like attack -- Reuters
Brussels on high alert over threat of ‘imminent’ attack -- France 24
Terror threat puts Belgium's capital on lockdown -- CBS/AP
Brussels terror alert based on fears of 'Paris-style attack' -- BBC
Brussels Placed at Highest Alert Level; Subway Is Closed -- NYT
Brussels on highest alert as Belgian officials warn of ‘serious and imminent’ threat -- Washington Post
Brussels locked down after terror threat level raised to maximum -- The Guardian
Belgium raises terror alert to highest level in Brussels -- FOX News
Brussels on Terror Lockdown Amid Threat of Paris-Style Attack -- NBC
Brussels placed on highest terror alert -- USA Today
Brussels Terror Alert Raised to Highest Level -- WSJ
Belgium Warns of Paris-Style Attack as Brussels Enters Lockdown -- Bloomberg
Brussels Put at Highest Terror Alert Due to 'Precise' Threat -- Daily Beast

Has Belgium Become The Hub For Terrorism In Europe?

Bloomberg: Paris Attacks Reveal Belgium as the Heart of European Terror

* Series of assaults this year has links to France's neighbor
* Two Paris attackers suspected to have been living in Brussels

The deadly violence in Paris on Friday is the latest in a series of attacks with strong links to Belgium, adding to mounting evidence the country has become one of the main havens for radicalized young men intent on terrorizing Europe.

As French investigators try to piece together the identity of radical networks responsible for the bloodiest act of terrorism in Europe in a decade, it emerged that two of the killers were Frenchmen who had been living in Belgium. Since Friday night’s attacks, police have detained seven other people in Brussels whom they suspect have links to the atrocity.

“Recruiting networks center around Belgium,” David Gartenstein-Ross, a counter-terrorism specialist at the U.S.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said by telephone on Sunday. Authorities will be questioning “whether militants consider Belgium to be a more permissive environment” and whether there is “a community of extremists who can move relatively undetected.”

More News On Belgium's Connections To Recent Terrorism Cases

Paris Attacks Put Focus on Belgium -- WSJ
Belgium connection under spotlight after Paris attacks -- AFP
French attacks cast uncomfortable spotlight on Brussels district -- Euronews/Reuters
Molenbeek: The Brussels suburb at the heart of Belgium's jihadist threat -- CNN
The Belgian neighborhood indelibly linked to jihad -- Washington Post
Guns, God and grievances: Belgium's Islamist "airbase" -- Daily Mail/Reuters
The Belgian radicals’ den -- hans Von Der Burchard and laurens Cerulus, Politico
Belgium Connections in Recent Terrorism Cases -- NYT

Belgian Police Thwart 'Major Planned Terrorist Attacks' By Islamic State Militants

Daily Mail: Anti-terror raid in Belgian town centre 'leaves two dead after 10-minute gun battle with Islamic State cell sent back to carry out attacks on Europe'

* Official says that the police anti-terror raid is 'jihadist-related'
* Men targeted were under surveillance having returned from Syria last week
* Islamic State video yesterday called for lone-wolf attacks in Europe
* Comes after investigators said they were probing arms dealer who sold guns to deli killer Amedy Coulibaly

WNU Editor: If reports on the Islamic State's involvement in sending this terror cell to Europe are true .... one can then conclude that the Islamic State has decided to escalate it's conflict with the West by now sending its fighters to Europe to conduct mass casualty attacks. This is an ominous development.

Update: More counterterrorism raids reportedly underway in Belgium after police thwart 'Belgian Charlie Hebdo' attack (FOX News)

More News On Today's Anti-Terrorism Operations In Belgium

Belgian police kill two in raid on suspected Islamists -- Reuters
Belgium police kill 2 in anti-terror raid during shootout -- AP
Belgian anti-terror raid in Verviers leaves two dead -- BBC
At Least 2 Killed in Antiterror Raid by the Belgian Police -- NYT
2 Dead in Belgium Anti-terror Raid -- VOA
Two Killed in Belgian “Anti-Terrorism Operation” Reportedly Linked to Paris Attacks -- Slate
Belgian operation thwarted 'major terrorist attacks' -- CNN
Belgium police kill two suspects in 'counter-terror' raid -- AL Jazeera

Is Belgium About To Break-Up Into Two Countries?

Interview with Flemish Separatist De Wever: 'Belgium Has No Future' -- Spiegel Online

Six months after the general election, Belgium still has no new government. Flemish nationalist Bart De Wever, head of the country's largest party, wants to split Belgium into two states. In an interview that has caused a scandal in his country, he told SPIEGEL why the nation has "no future."

Belgium has sunk into political chaos. Following the parliamentary elections six months ago, all attempts to build a new government have failed. The country is divided into two camps that oppose each other, apparently irreconcilably: the socialists, who won the most votes in Wallonia, the French-speaking southern region of the country, and the nationalist conservatives in Flanders, the wealthier Dutch-speaking northern region.

Read more ....

My Comment: I live in the french speaking province of Quebec in Canada. We have always had an independence movement, but this province's dependence on Federal benefits and assistance has effective undermined this movement (for now). While the rest of the country may not like the idea that one province is singled out with special attention, much of the Federal political leadership is uniformly against the idea of splitting the country and will always search for ways to accommodate the french population in Quebec.

Belgium has a different political culture, where any talk of accommodation is moot. In fact, Belgium is already two countries in one .... and with such a cultural and linguistic division, I doubt that there will be any future for this country. The Flemish Separatist leader De Wever is right .... Belgium is living on borrowed time.

Flemish Nationalists Win Big In Belgium Vote

Flemish Separatists Win In Belgium -- New York Times

BRUSSELS — The move to break up Belgium gathered momentum Sunday as separatists won an emphatic election victory in Flanders, the prosperous Dutch-speaking half of the fiercely divided nation.

A stunning electoral success for Bart de Wever’s Flemish nationalist party marks a significant new challenge to the fragile unity of a country where tensions between French and Dutch speakers run deep.

Read more ....

More News On Belgium's Election

UPDATE: Belgian Voters Back Flemish Nationalists, French-Speaking Socialists -- Wall Street Journal
Belgian election win for party that wants to split nation -- The Guardian
Poll brings Flemish separatists closer to their goal -- Times Online
Separatists win Flanders region in Belgian elections -- The Telegraph
Flemish Nationalist ‘Earthquake’ May Reshape Splintered Belgium -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Flems poised to gain independence from Belgium -- Examiner
Deconstructing Belgium -- Wall Street Journal editorial

Belgium Asks Ex-Premier To Form New Government

From AP:

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) — Belgium on Monday turned to a veteran politician to broker a new government after a scandal over the botched bailout of the Fortis bank forced the ruling coalition to resign.

King Albert II accepted the government's resignation after three days of negotiations with Belgium's political leaders failed to keep the coalition intact. In a bid to avoid early elections, he asked former Premier Wilfried Martens to act as a go-between to broker a new coalition.

"It is an exploratory task to try and seek agreement," Martens said.

Read more ....

Belgian King In Talks Over Govt. Crisis

From CNN:

(CNN) -- Belgium's King Albert II held urgent talks with political leaders Saturday after Prime Minister Yves Leterme offered his government's resignation amid a row over the break-up of the stricken Fortis bank.

The collapse of Leterme's nine-month government -- a broad coalition bringing together parties from both sides of Belgium's French-speaking and Flemish divide -- has pitched the country into the latest in a series of crises which some fear could break-up the country.

Read more ....

Belgium in Limbo Again After Government Collapses

From Yahoo News/Reuters:

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Belgium's King Albert consulted political leaders on Saturday after the government collapsed for the third time in a year following its botched attempt to bail out financial group Fortis.

Prime Minister Yves Leterme tendered his government's resignation on Friday after a report by the Supreme Court found signs of political meddling to sway a court ruling on the future of the bank, a victim of the credit crunch.

Read more .....

Belgian Government Collapses Over Fortis Affair

From Yahoo News/Reuters:

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Belgium's government collapsed on Friday after a top court found signs that it had sought to sway a legal ruling on the future of stricken bank Fortis.

"(Belgian Prime Minister Yves) Leterme put the (resignation) proposal to the cabinet and they have agreed to it," Leterme's spokesman Peter Poulussen said by telephone.

Under the constitution, King Albert must decide whether to accept the resignation. In July, Leterme had tendered his resignation after failing to break a political deadlock among the country's linguistic groups, but the king refused it.

Read more ....