Brussels, Belgium ? King Albert on Sunday asked Belgium’s parliament president to take the reins of the government that quit last week after a scandal over the botched bailout of the Fortis bank.

Herman Van Rompuy, 61, is expected to replace Yves Leterme at the head of a quarrelsome alliance of Christian Democrats, Liberals and Socialists within a matter of days.

The king named him prime minister-designate at the suggestion of ex-premier Wilfried Martens, who spent six days sounding out political leaders on how to quickly form a new government.