▁the ▁constitution al ▁reform ▁and ▁elect oral ▁arr ondissement ▁Br uss els - H alle - V il voor de ▁failed ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁dead line ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁within ▁reach , ▁Let erme ▁offered ▁the ▁res ignation ▁of ▁his ▁cabinet ▁to ▁King ▁Albert ▁II . ▁After ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁consult ations , ▁King ▁Albert ▁II ▁decided ▁to ▁reject ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Let erme ' s ▁res ignation ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁July . ▁The ▁royal ▁palace ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁King ▁had ▁asked ▁two ▁senior ▁French - spe aking ▁polit icians , ▁Minister s ▁of ▁State ▁François - X avier ▁de ▁Don nea ▁( MR ) ▁and ▁Raymond ▁Lang end ries ▁( C d H ), ▁and ▁the ▁Minister - Pres ident ▁of ▁the ▁German - spe aking ▁Community , ▁Karl - He in z ▁Lam bert z ▁( SP ), ▁to ▁establish ▁how ▁to ▁start ▁tal ks ▁about ▁institution al ▁reform . ▁ ▁They ▁reported ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁King ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁with ▁a ▁one - page ▁report ▁so ▁that ▁neither ▁of ▁the ▁communities ▁would ▁back ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁negoti ations . ▁Only ▁a ▁few ▁hours ▁later , ▁Did ier ▁Rey nd ers ▁anger ed ▁the ▁Dutch - spe aking ▁polit icians ▁with ▁controvers ial ▁statements ▁and ▁so ▁spark ed ▁a ▁crisis ▁within ▁the ▁F lem ish ▁government . ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁N - VA ▁with d rew ▁its ▁parliament