Bust Belgium increases political cleavages

In an interview with De Standaard, the Belgian Minister of Finance, Guy Vanhengel, sparked an outcry with the assertion that "from a business point of view, Belgium is virtually bankrupt." Leading with the front page headline, "Is Belgium PLC really bankrupt?" Le Soiris strongly critical of the minister's remarks which it describes as "frightening and infuriating." The Francophone daily further takes the view that the liberal minister has chosen "to sound the alarm without worrying about the potential impact on the country's reputation" in order to send a message on the following lines: "the state has been asked to cut total spending by 20%, and that will require a revolutionary budget." Left-wing and centrist parties in Belgium, whose budget deficit is currently running at 25 billion euros, are accusing Vanhengel of preparing the way for austerity measures in health care and the civil service.