Political Deadlock Continues

So, on Wednesday Elio Di Rupo met with S.M. King Albert II to ask for more time to continue the negotiations to form a coalition government which have been going nowhere fast. The King agreed despite the seeming unending deadlock between the majority Flemish nationalists and the Walloon socialists. The main points of discussion have been greater regional autonomy (how far can autonomy go before it is independence?) and what money should go to which regions. Nothing much new. But, this extra time did not help to resolve things and by Sunday Di Rupo went to the King to offer up his resignation. However, the King refused, obviously not wanting to start all over again in a worse position, and so the talks go on. This is really starting to rattle the nerves. Meanwhile, the King has tried to go on with his business and avoid Di Rupo trying to give him his papers and on Sunday he went to the chapel by the lake in Switzerland where his mother the beautiful Belgian Queen Astrid, wife of King Leopold III, died in a tragic car accident. Many Belgians were there to honor the late iconic queen and King Albert addressed them after going to mass. This place in Switzerland is the subject of a detailed post at the Cross of Laeken remembering Queen Astrid.