After a brief Christmas break, the Federal Government negotiations resumed on Thursday. As of today, it has been 200 days since the elections on 9 June.
Negotiators from the so-called 'Arizona' parties – N-VA, MR, Les Engagés, Vooruit and CD&V – were able to relax a little for the past two days. Negotiations restarted on Thursday, although initially these will still be in the form of technical sessions with the parties' experts. Plenary meetings with the lead negotiators are scheduled again for this weekend.
The last meeting with the chief negotiators took place on Monday, when the party leaders discussed formator Bart De Wever's (N-VA) new socio-economic reform note. That meeting was "serene and constructive," one attendee told Belga News Agency.
Late last week, the atmosphere became heated after an attack by MR leader Georges-Louis Bouchez on outgoing Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem (CD&V) over the copyright reform in the previous legislature. Bouchez allegedly said that he would personally ensure that Van Peteghem will not become finance minister again.
Strengthening purchasing power
Bouchez backtracked on this during an interview at Bel RTL on Thursday, saying that it was not a personal attack. "We do not have the same vision on taxation. If MR achieved 30% (during the 9 June elections), it is to strengthen purchasing power and competitiveness and reduce the tax burden. I do not want to betray my voters."
Asked whether Van Peteghem could then simply remain Finance Minister, Bouchez only wanted to say that the CD&V minister would then have to "adjust his position on taxation."
However, Bouchez still assumes that the new Federal Government will be in place by the time of its parliamentary return on 9 January.
