▁ ▁On ▁ 1 7 ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁inc umb ent ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁Belg ium ▁Guy ▁Ver hof stadt ▁was ▁asked ▁by ▁the ▁King ▁of ▁the ▁Bel gi ans ▁Albert ▁II ▁to ▁start ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁an ▁inter im ▁government ▁that ▁would ▁last ▁until ▁ 2 3 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁when ▁Let erme ▁would ▁take ▁over . ▁Belg ium ' s ▁political ▁uncertainty ▁intens ified ▁when ▁Y ves ▁Let erme ▁was ▁hospital ised ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁He ▁remained ▁in ▁the ▁hospital ▁for ▁several ▁days ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁soon ▁made ▁clear ▁that ▁his ▁health ▁would ▁not ▁prevent ▁him ▁from ▁assuming ▁premi ership . ▁ ▁A ▁first ▁pre lim inary ▁deal ▁was ▁reached ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁It ▁was ▁agreed ▁that ▁some ▁powers ▁over ▁industrial ▁policy ▁and ▁housing ▁would ▁be ▁transferred ▁from ▁the ▁federal ▁government ▁to ▁the ▁regions . ▁Me asures ▁would ▁also ▁be ▁taken ▁to ▁strength en ▁inter - region ▁co operation ; ▁a ▁second ▁package ▁of ▁de volution ▁changes ▁would ▁then ▁be ▁passed ▁before ▁the ▁summer ▁re cess . ▁ ▁Let erme ▁I ▁ ▁An ▁official ▁coal ition ▁agreement ▁was ▁signed ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁Y ves ▁Let erme ▁was ▁sw orn ▁in ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁hours ▁of ▁ 1 4 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁after ▁months ▁of ▁negoti ations ▁regarding