King Albert of Belgium has asked Flemish Christian Democrat Herman Van Rompuy to form a new government.
Mr Van Rompuy, 61, is the president of the lower house of parliament. He has accepted the task.
The move was announced by the palace on Sunday.
Mr Van Rompuy was budget minister between 1993-1999 and has the reputation of being a hardliner. He has expressed doubts about the previous government's plans to spend its way out of the current economic downturn.
The coalition government of Prime Minister Yves Leterme submitted its resignation on 19 December after the Supreme Court ruled there were clear indications of political meddling in a bailout of the Fortis bank.
King Albert accepted the resignation on 22 December and asked the government to stay on in a caretaker capacity.
It is Belgium's third political crisis this year. Elections were last held in June 2007.
