Belgium's next PM learns to lead in Dutch too

The Jakarta Post, Associated Press, Brussels, Thu, 12/01/2011

Finally, after a world record 530-plus days of negotiations, Elio Di Rupo is on the cusp of leading his first Belgian government.

Now comes a big challenge - communicating with the majority of Belgians in their own tongue in this linguistically divided nation.

The French-speaking Socialist has spent much of is life ensconced among 4.5 million French-speakers in southern Belgium. Up until now, he has had only an elementary need for Dutch, the language spoken by the country's 6.5 million Flemish in the north.

But now that he is about to become prime minister, that has changed.

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Eurozone crisis forces Belgium to finally form a government

Belgium's chief negotiator in charge of forming a cabinet, Elio Di Rupo, (2nd R)

and party leaders meet in Brussels, Photograph: Thierry Roge/REUTERS