Forming a Federal Government will not be possible after the 2024 elections, making confederalism the only aswer, according to Bart De Wever, leader of the Flemish rightwing N-VA party and mayor of Antwerp.
De Wever has a gloomy outlook for the 2024 elections, he told VTM News during the festivities of the Flemish Holiday after the leader of the far-right Vlaams Belang party Tom Van Grieken called confederalism "the greatest political lie of the last ten years" in a speech this weekend.
"The greatest political lie of the past 100 years is the radical right in Flanders," De Wever said. "For 100 years, they have been promising all kinds of things, but nothing constructive has ever come of it. Government formation will not be possible in 2024 and so the only answer is confederalism. Hopefully as soon as possible."
What would change?
Under a confederalist system, Flanders and Wallonia would both become independent sovereign states, cooperating as an administrative unit. In practice, this would mean that the regions would have full self-determination, but can choose to cooperate on certain matters.
Currently, Belgium is a federalist state, meaning that sovereignty is shared between the federal level and the different regions, dividing the powers between the two.
"Wallonia will be more leftist than ever, with even a communist party that might reach 20%," De Wever said. "The sum [of getting a majority while excluding the extremist parties] is then no longer possible and there is no alternative. It will not be possible to form a government and so the answer is confederalism."
Related News
- Belgium's language divide: Many young Walloons do not speak Dutch
- Why is the far right so much stronger in Flanders than in Wallonia?
- Far-right Vlaams Belang party wants to declare Flemish sovereignty in 2029
He added that it is up to the Flemish voters to determine who will govern the country. "The parties that govern without a majority in Flanders are brutally denying the interests of their voters. If they are defeated and the majority in Flanders is for autonomy, then the game is up."
Additionally, De Wever urged people to "look at the kind of people that hang around" the Vlaams Belang party. "[Voting for them] is lost energy. A vote for Vlaams Belang is unfortunately a vote for a repeat of this government."
