Formator Bart De Wever (N-VA) will head to the Royal Palace again on Monday to report on his progress in the Federal Government negotiations.
Progress in forming the next Federal Government has been limited since his previous meeting with the King, but that was expected. It is assumed that De Wever will be given an extension, possibly until after the local elections on 13 October.
De Wever was sent into the field on 2 September for the second time as formator, aiming to form a five-party government: Flemish rightwing N-VA, socialist Vooruit and Christian Democrats CD&V, and Francophone liberal MR and centrist Les Engagés.
Les Engagés leader Maxime Prévot had paved the way for this after De Wever's first attempt at finding a coalition agreement had failed over MR's refusal to make tax-related concessions towards Vooruit in his "socio-economic super-note."
No high-speed train
Since then, negotiations have proceeded at a slower pace. Discussions within working groups are ongoing per theme every day, but the delegation leaders have so far only met to make working agreements.
As De Wever put it several days ago: negotiations are proceeding at the pace of a local train rather than a high-speed one. This is partly due to the approaching local elections, which are taking place in about three weeks.
