Federal formator Bart De Wever (N-VA) is giving himself a 50% chance of finding a Federal Government agreement and becoming Belgium's next Prime Minister. However, it is "unlikely" that an agreement will be found before the end of the year, he said.
The negotiators of the so-called 'Arizona' parties (N-VA, Vooruit, CD&V, MR and Les Engagés) discussed possible reforms for the labour market, pensions and taxation files until 22:00 on Sunday. This week, the budget and socioeconomic reforms will also be discussed again, but talks are expected to remain tricky.
"I cannot accept that certain sensitivities would cause the ambition level to collapse. This mindset of ‘we are not getting anywhere, so let's just settle for what we have' is what I call the Belgian disease," De Wever told De Morgen on Sunday.
He stressed that the level of ambition to form the Federal Government must be achieved; he wants a minimum saving effort of €20 billion. "This is our queen's stage (the hardest and most prestigious stage of a multi-day cycling race, ed). All the flat rides have already been done. Some issues remain here and there – but those are to be solved when riding the queen's stage."
50-50
"The route has already been explored" and "everyone knows every hill, turn and false-flat stretch. So either you ride that stage now, or you get off and the rest of the work that was already done is undone as well," De Wever explained.
He gives himself "a 50-50 chance" to succeed in the negotiations and become Belgium's next Prime Minister, but a government before the end of the year seems "unlikely" to him. "On 2 January, when the Antwerp city council is installed, I will be mayor. That is what the Flemish decree imposes on me. The negotiations for the Federal Government will probably only come to an end after that."
CD&V's Vincent Van Peteghem and Les Engagés' leader Maxime Prevot arrive for a Federal Government meeting, 10 December 2024. Credit: Belga/Jonas Roosens
Should De Wever become Prime Minister, Antwerp councillor Els van Doesburg (N-VA) will replace him as the city's mayor. After De Wever, she received the highest number of preferential votes during the local elections and would therefore become acting mayor if necessary.
The parties negotiated on the three big issues of labour market, pensions and taxation on Sunday. This week, equal opportunities and the fight against poverty, governance issues and mobility, as well as the major socioeconomic reforms, are on the agenda.
On Friday 20 December, De Wever is due for another visit to the Royal Palace to give the King the latest state-of-play.
