On Monday Belgian premier Bart De Wever tendered his resignation after talks among ministers in the five-way federal government failed to result in a budget agreement for next year. The king is considering De Wever’s offer.
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Government in crisis: King Filip launches into week of talks with government party leaders
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Today, the king will hold his first talks with government party leaders with a view to finding a way out of the political crisis Belgium once again finds itself in. The monarch will see representatives of all 5 federal government parties before making a decision: Flemish nationalist N-VA, Flemish socialist Vooruit, Flemish Christian democrat CD&V, Francophone liberal MR and Francophone centrist Les Engagés.
He is meeting Yvan Verougstraete of Les Engagés (pictured top) and Sammy Mahdi of CD&V today. On Wednesday, it will be the turn of Conner Rousseau (Vooruit) and Georges-Louis Bouchez (MR). Valerie Van Peel (N-VA) is expected on Thursday afternoon. On Friday at 10.30 am, the King again sees Prime Minister Bart De Wever.
Flemish liberals of Anders holding “8 seats at the ready”
The liberals of Anders, former Open VLD, are ready to support the federal government if it wishes to implement an “economically right-wing programme” and drastically slim down the public sector says Flemish liberal leader Frédéric De Gucht.
The Flemish liberals headed the last federal government but opted for an opposition roe after they were soundly defeated in the last federal election.
“We need to breathe new life into the economy. Anders has 8 seats at the disposal of any prime minister who wants to take the right measures: cutting costs and reducing the size of the state, because it is far too bloated,” says De Gucht.
A hand from the Flemish liberals could take the form of a shifting majority, whereby the party votes with the majority in parliament, De Gucht suggested.
Sammy Mahdi furious on arrival at the Palace
“I’m angry. Some people don’t seem to realise what our situation is and what needs to be done now. There’s no room for political games or for letting things drag on.” Flemish Christian democrat CD&V chair Sammy Mahdi is furious when he arrives at the Palace, for a meeting with King Filip as the second guest of the day.
“When you look at the budgetary figures, I can’t make head nor tail of the attitude of certain parties.” Francophone liberal MR and Flemish socialist Vooruit need to take a long, hard look at themselves, says Mahdi. “Talk at the negotiating table, rather than in television studios.”
If no agreement is reached, there is a risk of “Greek-style chaos”, he warns. In his view, the financial markets will judge Belgium harshly, which would jeopardise the entire welfare state. “Then there will be no need for further discussion in the TV studios about people’s purchasing power.”