MPs from Belgium's Flemish north and French-speaking south teamed up today to block a bill to split the country in two.
The vote may ease tension between the groupings and clear the way for a new government.
Belgium has been unable to form a government since June 10th elections and coalition talks between Flemish Christian Democrats and Liberals and their francophone counterparts have stalled over the Flemish side's demands for more autonomy.
But the majority of Dutch-speaking Flemish members of parliament dismissed a bill today brought by the far-right Vlaams Belang to split Belgium.
Members of the small separatist N-VA and three Flemish Christian Democrats abstained. The vote prevented the Flemish nationalists' bill from being passed on to a commission for discussion.
"It has effectively landed in the waste basket," a spokesman for the chamber said.
Flemish demands for more autonomy have been rejected by French-speakers.
Francophone parties had been looking for a conciliatory sign from their Dutch-speaking counterparts to revive coalition talks suspended after the Flemish drove forward a controversial bill to split the electoral area around Brussels.