Di Rupo’s guide to saving a country

Thirteen months after the last elections, the francophone Elio Di Rupo has put forward his proposals to unblock the political stalemate. It’s one step forward, says the Belgian press, but the country's future is still not guaranteed.

Mr Di Rupo unveiled a radical austerity plan, meant to tackle the country's towering deficit after more than a year of political paralysis.

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• Primary Source

EUObserver, 8.7.11: Belgian crisis deepens http://euobserver.com/9/32603

EurActiv, 8.7.11: Belgium descends into new chaos http://www.euractiv.com/en/elections/belgium-descends-new-chaos-news-506387

ESO: Background information: Belgian general election, 2010 http://www.europeansources.info/record/belgian-general-election-2010/

ESO: Background information: Belgian stalemate spun into political gold http://www.europeansources.info/record/belgian-stalemate-spun-into-political-gold/

ESO: Background information: Belgian PM backed over cuts http://www.europeansources.info/record/belgian-pm-backed-over-cuts-belgium-buys-breathing-space-as-deficit-revised/

France24, 5.7.11: Socialist leader makes last-ditch effort to save split nation http://www.france24.com/en/20110705-belgium-di-ripo-government-split

De Morgen, 8.7.11: De Wever trashes Di Rupo proposal (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief-cover/764211-de-wever-trashes-di-rupo-proposal

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