Belgium has no leadership

Belgium's government has once more plunged into a crisis. Prime Minister Yves Leterme has been forced to admit that the government put a court under pressure in the trial over the sale of Fortis Bank. The daily De Standaard writes that it is unique in Belgian history for the executive to have interfered with the independence of the judiciary and concludes that Leterme's resignation is inevitable: "This is a great personal calamity for Leterme. No agreement on the federal issue, no balanced budget, no coalition, no strong party, no successful rescue of the country's largest bank and poor health. The man who after eight years of [government under Guy] Verhofstadt was supposed to restore the reputation of Belgian politics is suffering an inglorious and bitter defeat. But the calamity for Belgium and its citizens is much greater. In the midst of the 'worst crisis in a hundred years' - in Yves Laterme's words - the country has no leadership."

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