After more than 7 months of hard negotiations, 5 Belgian parties reached an agreement last Friday to make a fresh government led by Bart De Wever (pictured) from the conservative fresh Flemish Alliance (Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie, N-VA).
The coalition consists of 3 parties from Flanders: the N-VA, the centreline Christian Democrats and Flamands (Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams, CD&V) and the left-wing Vooruit (forward. The French-speaking Walloons joined the coalition were the chapedics active (Les Engagés) and the Liberal improvement Movement (Mouvement réformateur, MR) Together, the coalition has a majority of 81 seats in the Belgian national Parliament with 150 seats.
It is worth noting that the government did not include a organization of Flemish nationalists – the Flemish Interest (Vlaams Belang) in favour of Flanders secession. In the summer, she obtained 20 tickets.
Complex political strategy and long-term negotiations
Belgium, divided into French- and Dutch-speaking communities, has 1 of the most complicated political systems in Europe. The Constitution of this country requires that the Council of Ministers, the executive body of the government, be made up of an equal number of ministers of both language groups, forcing the building of coalition governments. This results in months of negotiations to scope a compromise between the various groups.
The longest government formation process took place between 2010 and 2011 and lasted as long as 541 days. This time, although negotiations lasted more than 7 months, Belgian King Philip appointed De Wever an ultimatum – either by the end of January he will be able to form a government, or the country will be re-elected. The final agreement was reached in the last hours before the deadline, after intense 60-hour talks.
Bart De Wever will presume the office of Prime Minister after Alexander De Croo, whose seven-party 2019 coalition needed as many as 493 days to form the government.
Flemish Interest (Vlaams Belang) – Nationals of Flanders
The Flemish Interest (Vlaams Belang) is simply a Flemish nationalist organization whose main postulate is to prosecute the secession of Flanders and to make an independent Flemish state. The group was formed in 2004 as a continuation of the illegal Vlaams Block group, which was dissolved after accusations of racism. Vlaams Belang presents a Eurosceptic and anti-immigration position, and its leaders frequently criticise the Belgian national strategy as unjust towards Flanders. The leader is Tom Van Grieken.
Despite expanding public support, Vlaams Belang remains outside Belgium's mainstream political trend. Most political parties avoid working with this group, considering its demands as besides radical. In the regional parliament of Flanders has 31 seats, just as the largest rival N-VA, who besides rules in the coalition there. The N-VA is besides striving for independence, but in a longer, evolutionary process.
