THE PAINSTAKING formation of a new Belgian government moved a small step forward yesterday when Flemish separatist Bart De Wever, victor in the recent election, briefed King Albert II on talks with his political rivals.
The monarch asked Mr De Wever to explore potential coalitions after his New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) took the spoils in the Flanders region, the Dutch-speaking northern part of the linguistically divided country.
Because he does not want to compromise his campaign to deliver greater devolved powers to Flanders, Mr De Wever has signalled he will not at this point seek to become prime minister. The job is likely to go to Socialist leader Elio Di Rupo, whose party beat the dominant Liberals in the southern French-speaking part of Belgium.
Mr Di Rupo may try to make a six-party pact with the N-VA, Christian Democrats and Socialists in Flanders and Socialists aligning with Humanists and Greens in the French-speaking Wallonia.
Such a coalition would have 100 of the 150 seats in the Chamber of Representatives, enough to make changes to the Belgian constitution. Mr Di Rupo could also try opt to bring in the French-speaking Liberals rather than Humanists and Greens, something which divides the Liberals.
The talks process is a slow one, notwithstanding pressure to reduce the country’s large national debt and the fact its newly installed six-month rotating presidency of the EU is being managed by a caretaker administration.
Finance minister Didier Reynders, leader of the French-speaking liberals, has said “it would be better for the EU’s continuity if the caretaker government continued in office until the end of the year” but better for Belgium if a new government took office quickly.
Mr De Wever’s talks yesterday with the king at his palace in Laeken, Brussels, came after the N-VA leader held meetings in parliament with a succession of political leaders over two days.
He will submit a further report to the king next week, at which point Mr Di Rupo may be asked to start formal coalition talks. If successful, Mr Di Rupo would be the first French-speaker from Wallonia to hold the office since Edmond Leburton in 1974.
The talks are complicated by several factors, however, not least the strength of Mr De Wever’s mandate. He says he doesn’t want to divide Belgium in two immediately, but nationalism is anathema to many French-speakers.
His advance is seen as a wake-up call by some in Wallonia. The thinking is resistance to federal reforms would only hasten the country’s disintegration.