Flemish nationalist leader Bart De Wever reported back to King Filip yesterday evening on his attempts to form a new Belgian federal government with his own N-VA party, the Francophone liberals of MR, the Flemish and Francophone Christian democrats of CDenV and Les Engagés and the Flemish socialists of Vooruit. Meanwhile, Fouad Ahidar has announced an initiative in Brussels.
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Bart De Wever confirmed as formateur, Fouad Ahidar to try and end Flemish impasse in Brussels
Colin Clapson
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Talks among the parties of what has been dubbed the Arizona coalition – the parties' colours all feature on the flag of the US state – are taking place behind closed doors in what is described as a 'serene atmosphere'. Discussions seem to be making headway as King Filip has asked the formateur to continue his work and report back only on 19 August.
Complicated state structure in Brussels gives everyone a headache!
Meanwhile the situation in the Brussels region seems blocked. Here the situation is complicated by the unusual requirement for Flemish and Francophone parties to find a majority separately before they start talks with the other community. The number of regional ministers and secretaries of state is also laid down by law as is the number of Francophone lawmakers (72) and Flemish members of the Brussels regional parliament (17).
So far, efforts by Elke Van den Brandt (Flemish ecologist/Groen) of the largest group of Flemish lawmakers do not seem to have made much headway. She is holding talks with the Flemish liberals of Open VLD, the Flemish socialists of Vooruit and the Christian democrats of CDenV, but the matter is complicated by the fact that 4 coalition partners need to share two ministerial jobs and one secretary of state.
Fouad Ahidar, whose new Team Fouad Ahidar list came from nowhere to win 3 seats last 9 June, has announced he will now take an initiative to unblock the situation. So far, his party has been cold-shouldered by the Flemish liberals of Open VLD and the Flemish socialists of Vooruit, the party of which Mr Ahidar used to be a member, on account of its religious and political views, but the lawmaker accuses both parties of hypocrisy and the Open VLD of clinging tp power.
A coalition with Team Fouad Ahidar would only require two other partners.
‘I will contact them myself,’ Mr Ahidar says. ‘We can meet up with Team Fouad Ahidar, Groen and Vooruit. We have nine seats.’
That would be sufficient for a Flemish majority. Mr Ahidar says he refuses to be sidelined and that he has already spoken to the Francophone liberals of MR and they - unlike the Flemish liberals of Open VLD - are not vetoing his party.