Federal "formator" Bart De Wever (N-VA) hopes to form the Federal Government before 20 September – the date that EU Member States must submit their budget plans to the European Commission.
In recent weeks, De Wever has been tight-lipped about the progress of formation discussions. After the King officially appointed him as formator on Wednesday, De Wever was also expected in Parliament to take his oath as a federal MP.
He told reporters that he is aiming for a government by 20 September, when Belgium must submit a multi-year budget to the European Commission. In order to bring the country's budget back within EU limits, there is talk of a restructuring of at least €23 billion over four or seven years.
De Wever has said that 20 September is therefore "a natural deadline". He added: "Everyone knows we need a seven-year process."
'The challenges are enormous'
The N-VA leader also sees 20 September as a political deadline, coming shortly before the local elections that follow in October. "It would be a good thing to have a government before those elections," De Wever said.
On 20 September Belgium must submit a multi-year plan for budgetary, reform and investment policies, including a net expenditure trajectory (though the European Commission can grant a short postponement). The draft budget for 2025 – in which Belgium must outline its restructuring path, as negotiated with the Commission – must be presented by 15 October at the latest.
Sammy Mahdi, leader of the Flemish centrist CD&V party which is currently in formation talks, agreed with De Wever on settling the Federal Government by 20 September. Acknowledging the differences that still need to be addressed between coalition partners, Mahdi said he is keen to start going over the details as soon as possible in negotiations.
Bart De Wever during an extra plenary session of the Chamber at the Federal Parliament in Brussels, 04 July 2024. Credit: Belga/Nicolas Maeterlinck
For his part, leader of the Francophone liberal MR party George-Louis Bouchez spoke of "a real obligation [to ensure] that the budgetary trajectory is transferred to the European Commission." He highlighted Belgium's fiscal struggles in recent years: "Our country must get back on track with a feasible budgetary plan. That was not the case in previous years. To do that, we must get to work during the summer months."
So far, coalition partners Vooruit (Flemish socialists) have not given their view on when a government should be formed. The party previously said it did not want to be locked to a deadline.
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The formator usually becomes Prime Minister of the government they managed to form, meaning that De Wever is on course to become the first Flemish nationalist to move into the Prime Minister's office on Rue de la Loi 16.
"Before the elections, I clearly said that I was a candidate to become Prime Minister. Now I am trying to make that ambition come true," said De Wever. "I assure you that it will be a government for all the citizens of our country."
In the coming days he will try to look at the points of agreement for all parties and set out a working strategy. De Wever was discreet about the substantive work (such as about the role of the regions in the negotiations) and he asked his fellow leaders to show the same discretion.
"The challenges are enormous. The budget process is an enormous task and we have to get to work on it. Restructuring the budget, reforming healthcare, pensions, the labour market, it is a gigantic job," he said. "But I have the impression that the five parties have the ambition to start that work."
