EU exerts pressure for choice of government

Published on 1 September 2011 at 12:54

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"Europe wants Belgian government fast," headlines Le Soir. "The Commission has lost patience" and is about to issue an official warning to Belgium that will be included in a report on the finances of EU member states to be published on 12 September. The daily explains that the intervention Belgian political affairs is justified by the deterioration of economic growth in the Eurozone, and in particular in Germany. Eurozone leaders are worried that Belgium, which has been without a government since April 2010, may become next target for financial markets. The warning will come at key moment for the talks organised by Elio di Rupo. "This could be the turning point,"remarks Le Soir in its editorial: the warning from the EU to Belgium’s politicians could accelerate the pace of negotiations, "or accelerate a temporary but comprehensive handover of power to the Leterme II team [the former government which currently has charge of ongoing business]." The daily concludes: "It is difficult to imagine a more potent external pressure!"

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