Flemings vote for Split

A proposal to split the electoral constituency of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde has been passed by the Home Affairs Select Committee of the Chamber of Representatives, the lower house of the Belgian Federal Parliament.
The proposal was supported by all Flemish MPs present except Tinne van der Straeten of the Flemish ecologists of Groen! French-speaking MPs walked out before the vote could take place. The vote does not mean that the constituency is now split.
The proposal first needs the support of a majority of MPs in a plenary session of the Chamber of Representatives.
The vote has upset Yves Leterme's efforts to form a new Belgian government.

Mr Leterme had hoped to reach agreement between Flemish and Francophone liberals and Christian democrats on this issue ahead of the vote, but no such accord materialised.
Ahead of the vote the Francophone liberals said that they would leave the formation talks if the issue came to a vote, now they are suggesting the formation of a new government with a limited mandate: to address social economic issues.