Belgium's King Albert II has appointed a new cabinet, ending a record-breaking year-and-a-half of political deadlock¹.

比利时国王艾伯特二世委任了新内阁成员，结束了为期一年半的政治僵局。

Socialist² to be Belgian PM since 1974" src="http://www.enread.com/upimg/allimg/111206/1_111206075015_1.jpg" width="304" height="171" />
Elio Di Rupo will be the first Socialist to be Belgian PM since 1974
The new government, to be sworn in on Tuesday, will be headed by French-speaking Socialist Elio Di Rupo.

Belgium has been run by a caretaker administration since the last government resigned in April 2010 after failing to resolve long-running linguistic³（语言的） disputes.

The inability to reach agreement led to fears the country could split.

But last week, six parties agreed to a new administration headed by Mr Di Rupo.

A statement from the palace said the king had "received Elio Di Rupo at Belvedere castle and named him prime minister".

Mr Di Rupo, 60, will be Belgium's first French-speaking prime minister in three decades and the first Socialist to take the premiership in Belgium since 1974.

Didier Reynders, who held the role of finance minister in the caretaker administration, would swap⁴ portfolios⁵ with the temporary Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere, said the statement.

Belgium holds a modern day record for the country which has gone the longest without a government - 540 days.

Politicians have been under pressure from financial markets and ratings agencies to create an effective government capable of carrying out structural⁶ reforms and reducing debt.

Last month, ratings agency Standard & Poor's downgraded Belgium's credit rating to AA from AA+, which could make it more expensive for Belgium to borrow in future.