Brussels  - Belgium's King Albert II on Tuesday swore in a five-party government almost identical to the scandal-hit administration which fell on December 19, palace officials confirmed.

The move came just hours after the five parties which made up Belgium's last government agreed to re-form their alliance under a new premier, Dutch-speaking conservative Herman van Rompuy, 61.

And it signals a bid for political stability and continuity at a time of economic crisis, with 18 of the government's 22 ministers having fulfilled the same functions in the fallen administration of former premier Yves Leterme, 48.

The Leterme government, formed in March, fell on December 19 after it was alleged that Leterme and then-justice minister Jo Vandeurzen had attempted to influence judges in a case concerning the sale of stricken banking giant Fortis. Both men denied the charges.

Two of the newcomers to the government replace Leterme and Vandeurzen: van Rompuy, who is the former president of the Belgian parliament, and party colleague Stefaan de Clerck, 57, who headed the justice ministry from 1995 to 1998.

Dutch-speaking liberal lawyer Guido de Padt, 54, takes over the interior ministry from his party colleague Patrick Dewael, 53, who was appointed speaker of parliament to replace van Rompuy in the only shift of power between the ruling parties.

And Dutch-speaking conservative Steven Vanackere, 44, takes over the ministry of the civil service and public enterprises after predecessor Inge Vervotte declined to return to her old post.

Van Rompuy, who until Sunday swore that he was not interested in taking up the prime minister's mantle, becomes the third premier to head the ill-starred coalition this year.

His predecessor, Leterme, served as premier for just nine months. He took over in March from a caretaker coalition of the same five parties headed by former premier Guy Verhofstadt - defeated by Leterme in June 2007 elections.

In a sign of the complexity of Belgian politics, it took Leterme from June 2007 to March 2008 to finalize the details of his government, the debate being poisoned by a row over the division of power and wealth between the richer, Dutch-speaking province of Flanders and the poorer, French-speaking region of Wallonia.

Van Rompuy inherits from Leterme the challenge of bringing that feud to a peaceful end and steering Belgium through the current financial and economic crisis, with regional elections looming in June.

He will also have to handle the outcome of an investigation, agreed by the coalition Tuesday, into the Fortis affair.

The Belgian parliament is to vote on the new government on Friday. (dpa)