A party, Open VLD, quitted the coalition government, so the ban failed to pass. The right time for doing so, hein? Just the day when the ban was going to be debated and possibly passed.

Belgium’s parliament on Monday failed to pass a law banning the wearing of burqa and niqab in public as the coalition government collapsed with the resignation of the prime minister.

The center-right Flemish liberal party Open VLD quit the coalition, forcing Prime Minister Yves Leterme to resign and halting parliamentary debate over a bill banning the face and body cover and face veil traditionally worn by Muslim women.

Under the proposed law, violators of the burqa and niqab ban would be fined $17 to $28. Violators also face seven days of imprisonment.

Passage of the law would have made Belgium the first European country to ban the Islamic apparel.

And you know the cause of the split? Because Open VLD speak Dutch while the rest of the coalition are francophones! So:

Belgian Premier Yves Leterme's government collapsed on Thursday after negotiations broke down to resolve a long-simmering dispute between Dutch and French-speaking politicians over a bilingual voting district.

Yes, and it was yesterday when they reached the conclusion than they didn't agree on that point. La leche!! What stupid guys!!