Flemish socialist leader Conner Rousseau has told formateur Bart De Wever (Flemish nationalist N-VA) that his super memorandum, a policy document intended to form a basis for further talks between the 'Arizona parties', the Flemish nationalists, Christian democrats and socialists and Francophone liberals and centrists of Les Engagés, is insufficient.
As talks between the ‘Arizona parties’ with a view to forming a new federal administration resumed following a tense local election campaign formateur De Wever's modified super memorandum resurfaced this week. Technical experts have been busy fine-tuning the document all week, but at a meeting of party leaders on Thursday afternoon Vooruit’s Conner Rousseau told Mr De Wever the document couldn’t serve as a basis for further talks.
Socialist Vooruit is in a difficult position in Arizona, being the only left-leaning party. The Flemish socialists feel the financial effort being asked of ‘big fortunes’ is ‘insufficient’ and Vooruit is refusing to continue talks on the basis of the document. Centrist parties are thought to side with Mr Rousseau on policy but are prepared to keep talking.
Mr De Wever must now consider what action he can take. He is scheduled to meet King Filip on Monday, who as head of state, is formally in overall charge of the government formation process.
By sheer coincidence the flag of the US state of Arizona features the party colours of all the Belgian parties involved in the coalition talks.