The King has asked N-VA President Bart De Wever to continue efforts to form a Federal Government “within a reasonable timeframe”. As federal formator, De Wever will provide a new report on 4 November, the first Monday after the autumn recess.
“His Majesty the King received Mr Bart De Wever at the Royal Palace in Brussels. Mr De Wever reported on his mission to form a new government. The King asked him to continue his work to complete the mission within a reasonable timeframe. Mr De Wever will present a new report to the King on 4 November,” the statement from the Palace reads.
The royal audience lasted one hour. It was the second meeting with the King meeting since De Wever resumed his role as formator on 2 September. Since then, negotiations have been progressing slowly. With local and provincial elections over, the parties aiming to form the federal coalition now hope to make swifter progress.
Key negotiators from N-VA, MR, Les Engagés, Vooruit, and CD&V met on Wednesday to discuss their methodology for the coming weeks. De Wever hopes to reach an agreement by mid-November in order to present a budget proposal to Parliament before the end of the year and initiate reforms from 2025.
No time to waste
CD&V President Sammy Mahdi supports this timeline, advocating for some tax measures to take effect from 1 January 2025.
MR President Georges-Louis Bouchez was also supportive. “It would be ideal to have a government by the first week of December to facilitate the budget vote,” he said on LN24 television on Thursday.
Belgium is under an excessive deficit procedure and has been granted a deadline to submit a financial recovery plan to the EU by the end of the year. By mid-November, the European Commission is expected to present its recommendations. If Belgium delays, it risks a stricter four-year recovery plan instead of the preferred seven-year derogation.
Sources confirmed on Wednesday that work will intensify starting Thursday, beginning with thematic notes. When De Wever resumed the formation process it was agreed to first focus on the dozen working groups dedicated to specific issues like energy, mobility, justice, and security, excluding tax and employment matters.
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In recent weeks, representatives from the five parties reviewed thousands of amendments to N-VA’s initial notes, now reduced to approximately 200. Progress varies across groups, with some issues like immigration facing significant opposition and stagnation.
A new plenary meeting between the party presidents is scheduled for next week. Subsequent negotiations with the “central group” of chief negotiators will aim to resolve remaining disagreements.
