AN EXCESS OF FLEM:

Belgium in deep political crisis as government talks collapse (The Associated Press, November 7, 2007)

Belgium slumped into one of the deepest political crises in 50 years on Wednesday when coalition talks between Flemish and Francophone parties collapsed under the weight of incessant recriminations between leaders of the language groups.

After a record 150 days without government, Flemish parties worsened the situation by using their majority electoral clout in parliament to vote for the carve-up of a bilingual electoral district in and around Brussels.

They did so for the first time in many decades, and against the wishes of their Francophone counterparts, effectively ditching a long tradition of consensus politics.

"We've lived with a certain balance. Today the Flemish have brutally broken that balance," said Francophone Socialist lawmaker Yvan Mayeur.