N-VA leader Bart De Wever, who has been appointed formateur with a view to forming the next Belgian government, sees King Filip on Friday. Now that the new city cabinet in Antwerp has been agreed, Mayor Bart De Wever can focus his full attention on the federal government formation process. On Friday, he reports back to the king.
In daily De Morgen, Mr De Wever takes stock of the formation progress. Budgets and socio-economic reforms remain the trickiest challenge: using metaphors from cycling Mr De Wever says reaching agreement here will be the greatest achievement. The easy stuff has already been done: ‘There remain some issues here and there - you solve those when you ride the queen stage. The route of this stage has already been reconnoitred. Everyone knows every hill, col and stretch of fake flat land. So either you ride the stage now or you get off and the rest of the work done falls by the wayside.’
Mr De Wever gives himself a 50 per cent to succeed in the negotiations and become prime minister. 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 the obligation on me in Flemish law. The federal negotiations will probably only be concluded after that.’