FACTBOX: Key facts about Belgian PM Yves Leterme

(Reuters) - Belgium's government collapsed on Friday after a top court found signs it had sought to sway a legal ruling on state stricken Fortis banking group.

Under the Belgian constitution, King Albert must decide whether to accept any resignation. In July, Prime Minister Yves Leterme tendered his resignation after failing to break a political deadlock between the country's linguistic groups, but the king declined it.

The following are key facts about Leterme.

* Belgium's King Albert appointed Leterme prime minister in March after months of coalition wrangling that followed an inconclusive election. He replaced interim leader Guy Verhofstadt.

* In July, Leterme tendered his resignation after failing to end a power tussle between Belgium's regions which re-ignited speculation that the 178-year-old country could split. However he stayed on after the king refused to let him quit.

* He describes himself as having been a child from the "west corner" of Belgium, an area known for its support for Flemish independence. He nevertheless straddles the linguistic divide in having a Flemish mother and Walloon father and supporting the Standard de Liege, a French-speaking football club.

* Has upset French-speakers with apparent gaffes.

He told the French newspaper Liberation in August 2006 that Belgium's francophones were either too lazy or not intelligent enough to learn Dutch.

Asked to sing a few lines of the national anthem, Brabanconne, on Belgium's national day last year, he launched into a rendition of France's La Marseillaise instead.

* Leterme was in hospital for two weeks in February after suffering from internal bleeding in his digestive system. He missed two deals -- on state reform and the budget -- crucial to his becoming prime minister.

* Leterme has degrees in law and politics. He worked his way up the ranks of the CVP (a precursor of the Flemish Christian Democrat party) and was employed at the European Commission for five years from 1992, specializing in agriculture. He became head of the Christian Democrats' parliamentary group in 2001, and in 2004 he became the premier of Dutch-speaking Flanders. He is married and has three children.

(Compiled by Philip Blenkinsop and Mark John)

(Editing by Richard Balmforth)