▁the ▁B H V ▁district ▁and ▁on ▁policies ▁aim ed ▁at ▁tack ling ▁the ▁economic ▁dow nt urn . ▁The ▁country ' s ▁continu ing ▁lingu istic ▁divide ▁played ▁a ▁large ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁crisis . ▁Several ▁times ▁during ▁the ▁period ▁Belg ium ▁was ▁threatened ▁to ▁be ▁split ▁up ▁amid ▁rising ▁F lem ish ▁separ at ism . ▁ ▁The ▁crisis ▁broke ▁out ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁following ▁the ▁elect oral ▁victory ▁of ▁the ▁al liance ▁of ▁the ▁F lem ish ▁Christian ▁Democr ats ▁and ▁the ▁New ▁F lem ish ▁Alliance , ▁who ▁supported ▁a ▁wide - re aching ▁state ▁reform ▁and ▁the ▁immediate ▁split ▁of ▁B H V . ▁After ▁ 1 9 4 ▁days ▁of ▁often ▁he ated ▁negoti ations , ▁parties ▁finally ▁succeeded ▁in ▁forming ▁a ▁new ▁government . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁another ▁crisis ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁Fort is ▁case , ▁er upt ed , ▁again ▁dest abil ising ▁the ▁country ▁and ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁res ignation ▁of ▁Belg ian ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Y ves ▁Let erme . ▁The ▁new ▁H erman ▁Van ▁Rom pu y - led ▁government ▁brought ▁a ▁brief ▁period ▁of ▁frag ile ▁stability , ▁but ▁ended ▁when ▁Van ▁Rom pu y ▁left ▁his ▁office ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁first ▁full - term ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Council . ▁The ▁succeed ing ▁Let erme ▁II ▁Government ▁fell ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁over ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁progress ▁on ▁resol ving ▁the ▁B H V ▁issue .