Now that the municipal elections are over, the political parties tasked with forming the next Federal Government will resume negotiations on Wednesday afternoon.
The negotiators from the five parties in the envisaged federal 'Arizona' coalition – Flemish right-wing N-VA, Christian Democrats CD&V and socialists Vooruit, and Francophone liberals MR and centrists Les Engagés – will take up where they left off in September.
"We made the analysis for the provincial council elections, and see that every party in the envisaged 'Arizona' coalition came out strong," N-VA leader and federal formator Bart De Wever said at the N-VA office on Monday.
He hopes that things can move quickly now, but acknowledges that difficult topics, such as a budgetary cut and a socio-economic reform, are on the table. "It will not be easy and it requires political courage," De Wever said. "But this is the time."
On Saturday, he said that November is the "natural deadline" for forming a new Federal Government if the budget for 2025 is to be approved by parliament – a view shared by other party leaders from the 'Arizona' coalition.
