De Wever set to submit proposal for power-sharing

HARDLINE FLEMISH nationalist Bart De Wever is making a fresh attempt to break four months of political paralysis in Belgium with…

HARDLINE FLEMISH nationalist Bart De Wever is making a fresh attempt to break four months of political paralysis in Belgium with a new power-sharing proposal to the country’s linguistically divided leaders.

Charged with a 10-day mission of “clarification” by King Albert II late last week, Mr De Wever will submit a power-sharing proposal to seven political parties tomorrow in anticipation of a response by noon on Monday.

The country has been in the charge of a caretaker government since elections in June which followed the collapse of a five-party coalition in April.

In a statement yesterday, Mr De Wever said his proposal would not be to the liking of certain people within his own New Flemish Alliance party and would make him “particularly vulnerable” as a result. He did not set out the changes he wanted to make but said he would brief the king on the talks on Monday afternoon.

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Mr De Wever’s party, which advocates a gradual dissolution of the Belgian state, has been unable since its electoral triumph in the Dutch-speaking north of the country to reach a compromise with the Socialists who prevailed in the French-speaking south.

Socialist leader Elio di Rupo, initially asked by the king to secure a coalition pact, resigned his chairmanship of the talks for a second time last month.

The stalemate has fanned questions about the viability of Belgium as a unitary state, although opinion polls typically find separation is not something most Belgians ultimately want.

A poll last week for Dutch language broadcaster VRT and the daily De Standaardfound that only 18 per cent of people in Flanders wanted independence for their region.

However, most wanted greater autonomy. Of 1,014 people polled, some 36 per cent wanted Belgium to remain a federal state but with fewer powers for the central government.

Although the country went for almost 300 days without a government after the last election in 2007, it is battling recession now and a budget for next year cannot be passed until a new government takes office.

Caretaker ministers warned in recent days that the country could miss deficit-cutting targets agreed with the European Commission if a new budget was not agreed.

While a 24-hour railway strike starting on Sunday night points to growing troubles with the country’s powerful trade union movement, the country’s borrowing costs on international markets have been rising as well.

At issue in months of inconclusive coalition talks is the failure of the country’s leaders to find a formula for devolving greater powers to its regions.

This has long been a key demand in Flanders, the prosperous northern region, but is resisted in southern Wallonia due to fears it would curtail the flow of state funds into an area that is comparatively poorer.

By some estimates, Wallonia receives roughly €12 billion per year from Flanders. Unemployment in Wallonia stands at about 17 per cent, compared with 7 per cent in Flanders.

Mr De Wever said the power-sharing proposal would involve compromise and “clear choices” for all sides if it was to be put into operation.

“Too often in the past, complicated options were chosen which only aggravated our problems,” he said. “We cannot lose any more time. A solution must be found in the present situation because huge negotiations on social and economic issues will come after reform of the state.”