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BRUSSELS One of Belgium's best known politicians, a former party leader nicknamed "Steve Stunt" for his populist gestures, was found drowned in a canal on Thursday, hours after prosecutors announced he would stand trial for rape. 
  
 Robert "Steve" Stevaerts, 60, had been leader of the Flemish Socialist Party and a protege of Willy Claes, a veteran cabinet minister who was secretary-general of NATO for a year before he resigned in a bribery scandal in 1995. 
  
 Prosecutors in the eastern city of Hasselt confirmed that Stevaerts' body had been pulled from the nearby Albert Canal in the early evening on Thursday after his bicycle was found nearby. 
  
 "We are assuming it is a case of suicide," a prosecution spokesman said. 
  
 The long-time bar owner had once been city mayor and until 2009 regional governor. His introduction of free public transport in the 1990s prompted sceptics to call him "Steve Stunt". 
  
 Belgian media said Stevaerts had denied accusations brought against him two years ago by a woman alleging he had raped her in 2010 after they met on the set of a TV show. 
  
 A police inquiry had been kept under wraps until Brussels prosecutors announced on Thursday that a judge had ordered him to stand trial on charges of rape and indecent assault, the circumstances aggravated by the use of his position. 
  
 Eliot Di Rupo, the leader of the French-speaking Socialist Party who was Belgian prime minister until last year, said he was "shocked" by Stevaerts' death and urged authorities to shed light on all the circumstances. 
  
 (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald and Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Andrew Roche, Larry King) ||||| Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Mr Stevaert, here with Princess Mathilde before she became queen, was previously a provincial governor 
  
 Belgian police have found the body of missing politician Steve Stevaert in a canal, hours after he learnt he was to face trial over a rape allegation. 
  
 Stevaert, 60, is a former leader of the Flemish Social Democrat party, and also served as mayor of the city of Hasselt and as a provincial governor. 
  
 It is thought he killed himself - Belgian media reported that he left a farewell letter. 
  
 The rape case dated back to 2010 and he had vehemently denied the allegation. 
  
 Divers retrieved his body from the Albert canal, Hasselt authorities said, after his bike was found by the waterside. 
  
 Image copyright AFP Image caption The alarm was raised when Mr Stevaert's bicycle and two jackets were found at the Albert canal 
  
 A spokeswoman for the Brussels prosecutor had announced earlier on Thursday that Stevaert was to be prosecuted for rape, indecent assault and abuse of office. 
  
 According to Belgian media, the alleged victim made no complaint until 2013, and Stevaert was then questioned by police. 
  
 The incident dated back to a TV programme, on which both Stevaert and the alleged victim were guests. 
  
 Although Stevaert had admitted that they had sexual relations, he denied rape, reports said. |||||

A leading politician in Belgium has been found dead hours after prosecutors announced that the 60-year-old would face trial for rape, indecent assault, and abuse of office. Police in the city of Hasselt say Steve Stevaert's body was recovered last night, reports the BBC. Stevaert was one of the country's best-known politicians, according to Reuters, having held positions that included leader of the Flemish Socialist Party, governor of Limburg province, and mayor of Hasselt, where he was nicknamed "Steve Stunt" for policies like free public transport. He had strongly denied the rape allegation, which involved a woman he met on the set of a TV show in 2010, the BBC reports.