Who was Elio Di Rupo and why was his appointment as prime minister significant?

Elio Di Rupo is a career politician who built a reputation as a talented negotiator within the Belgian political landscape.12

His appointment as prime minister on December 6, 2011, was highly significant for several historic reasons:

• Political Milestone: He became Belgium’s first Socialist prime minister since 1974.12
• Representation: He was the first Francophone prime minister to lead the country in more than three decades.12
• Global Precedent: He became the European Union’s first openly gay head of government.12

Di Rupo took office following a period of intense political deadlock, during which Belgium set a modern world record for the number of days spent without a formal government. His leadership was instrumental in forming a grand coalition of Christian Democrats, Liberals, and Socialists, which allowed the country to respond to the euro-zone debt crisis and achieve a period of relative stability.12