If the Flemish rightwing nationalists N-VA become the largest party in a new Federal Government after the next elections, party leader Bart De Wever does not want PS leader Paul Magnette to become Prime Minister as "he can't be trusted."
Should N-VA become the biggest party in Belgium's new government (which normally delivers the Prime Minister), De Wever himself wants to lead the country.
"Magnette is unsuitable to become prime minister," De Wever said in an interview with Humo. Should N-VA succeed in forming a coalition with the PS after the 9 June elections, De Wever does not intend to let Magnette lead the country.
"He can't be trusted because of his impulsiveness and the way he allows himself to be pushed around by the PVDA-PTB," he said. "He will never be able to transcend his party. So it will be up to me, as leader of – hopefully – the largest faction."
Kicking out De Croo
De Wever does not want a repeat of the so-called Swedish coalition (named after the flag of Sweden: yellow for N-VA, blue for liberals Open VLD and MR, and the cross for Christian Democrats CD&V) after the 2014 elections.
At the time, MR's Charles Michel (now President of the European Council) was made prime minister in exchange for a Federal Government in which the MR was the only French-speaking party in a Flemish majority. However, De Wever described that period as "not the best experience," and added that he himself wants to be able to "determine the government's agenda" this time around.
After the elections, De Wever wants to put forward a transitional cabinet while a state reform is being drawn up, he stressed.
"We must kick out De Croo and his 20 ministers as quickly as possible and start with a transitional cabinet that will put the budget in order. That will be a clash between those who want new income and those who want to save money. Will that be fun? No, but we will figure it out," De Wever said.
Last week, during a televised TV debate, both De Croo and Magnette did not rule out working together again in the Federal Government should electoral results allow so – in spite of their policy differences.
However, this week the Belgian Prime Minister would like the next government to count fewer parties than the current ideologically diverse seven-party 'Vivaldi' coalition.
