BRUSSELS, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Belgian King Albert II named a new cabinet Monday headed by Socialist Elio Di Rupo, putting an end to a long political deadlock which left the country without a government for record 18 months.
A statement from the palace said Didier Reynders, who held the role of finance minister in the caretaker administration, would swap job with the temporary Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere.
The appointment of the new prime minister came after Belgium's six major parties reached an agreement on the country's 2012 budget earlier last month which aims to bring the government deficit to 2.8 percent of GDP in 2012, below the European Union's 3 percent limit.
