Bart De Wever Sworn in as Belgium's New Prime Minister After Contentious Coalition Deal
Conservative Bart De Wever has officially taken office as Belgium's new Prime Minister, marking a pivotal shift to the right for the country's political landscape. His appointment follows a grueling seven-month negotiation process that concluded early on a Friday morning, making him the first nationalist leader from the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders to lead Belgium.
The 54-year-old De Wever, who had previously moderated his stance on Flemish independence, took the oath of office in a ceremony presided over by King Philippe at the royal palace in Brussels. Following this formal induction, he is slated to attend a crucial gathering of European Union leaders nearby, where discussions will focus on defense and transatlantic relations.
Belgium's political structure is characterized by a complex division between French and Dutch-speaking communities, leading to notoriously protracted coalition negotiations. This latest round lasted for 541 days during the last significant government formation in 2010-2011, and the recent talks entered a critical juncture as five different groups attempted to unify after the June elections yielded no clear majority.
De Wever's party, the conservative New Flemish Alliance (N-VA), emerged with the most seats in this election, paving the way for coalition talks that brought together three parties from Flanders and two parties from Wallonia—a mix of the centrist Christian Democrats, leftist Vooruit, and two centrist parties from the French-speaking region. This coalition now holds an 81-seat majority in Belgium's 150-seat parliament.
However, negotiations were fraught with challenges, particularly regarding the country's budget deficit, projected to reach 4.4% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023. Belgium is one of seven EU countries facing potential disciplinary action for failing to adhere to the bloc's fiscal rules, which mandate a deficit below 3% of GDP. To address these financial issues, De Wever has advocated for cuts in social benefits and significant pension reforms, proposals that have already raised the ire of labor unions.
Prior to reaching an agreement, coalition discussions hit an impasse during the summer, with De Wever publicly threatening to withdraw from the talks if a resolution was not achieved by the deadline. Ultimately, after an exhaustive 60-hour session, a consensus was reached on an extensive 800-page government program.
De Wever succeeds Alexander De Croo, who maintained leadership as a caretaker following the June elections. De Croo's previous seven-party coalition took 493 days to form in 2019, marking another example of Belgium's intricate and time-consuming political processes. With De Wever now at the helm, the nation watches closely as he embarks on this new chapter of governance.
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