King Filip has accepted PM Elio Di Rupo’s resignation

The palace has let it be known that the king has accepted his premier’s resignation following Sunday’s general election.

It was shortly after 11am that the prime minister arrived at the royal palace to tender his government’s resignation, the custom in Belgium on the day after the general election.

At 12:08 the palace released a communique announcing that King Filip had accepted the resignation.

Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo’s team stays on in the job until a new government can be sworn in.

The outgoing government will manage affairs already in course, but cannot start any new initiatives.

Following his meeting with the Prime Minister King Filip is now free to start taking political soundings about the best way ahead.

The king will speak with political leaders to learn who they believe he should appoint to start the government formation process.

It is widely accepted that King Filip will first appoint an informateur whose job it will be to find out who is best placed to become formateur and form the next federal government.

An informateur could be in the job within days, but last time round Belgium did break the record for the longest government formation talks in the entire world.

Flandersnews.be / Expatica