Belgian politics starts the year festively, but there is still no government

Friends Pascale Vereeken and Monique Govaert (“unfortunately both have French first names, we are Flemish nationalists”) are in the queue. Like a few hundred others, the two sixties hope for a photo with Bart De Wever, the leader of Belgium’s largest party, the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA). “I recognize myself in Bart,” says Pascale, who comes from Ghent, works at an insurance agency and wears a homemade turquoise dress. “When Bart opens his mouth, everyone has an opinion. And he has lost a lot of weight, just like me.”

The N-VA will hold its New Year’s party on Saturday evening in an events hall in the provincial city of Mechelen, a tradition among Belgian parties. As the largest and richest party, the reception of the Flemish nationalist conservatives is the most impressive of all. No fewer than five thousand N-VA members show up in their best evening clothes, the bubbles are free and scampi are served.

“Monique and I met on the dance floor during an earlier edition of the N-VA New Year’s party. We clicked immediately,” says Pascale. “The Catholic people’s party CVP was introduced into our home, but I got my own opinion.”

Then it is finally their turn for a photo with De Wever. “Well, well-known people,” De Wever says to Monique, who has her picture taken every year. She bought a black outfit with a silver scarf. “You don’t wear the same thing twice,” she clarifies. “I keep the photo from every year,” says Pascale.

Not efficient

Further in the room, Koen Geenen, a man in his fifties in a light blue suit who has brought his wife and daughter with him for the first time, gets a glass of white wine. “We were given cava at the entrance, but we gave it back. It was undrinkable,” he says. Geenen wants Belgium to be split and finds “many like-minded people” here. “This country does not work efficiently. And Brussels can go to Europe, just make it a ‘Brussels DC’.”

Geenen thinks it is a “shame” that the N-VA has “watered down” its positions on Flemish independence. The pursuit of an independent republic of Flanders is still included in the party statutes. Yet he thinks that De Wever will “certainly” become the next Prime Minister of Belgium. “I look forward to the great leader’s speech later on stage,” Geenen says half-ironically.

Despite an obvious coalition, De Wever has been unable to form one for six months

It has been Bart De Wever’s turn to form a government since he unexpectedly won the national elections in June 2024. The broad political center and the Flemish press reacted to the outcome at the time with relief and some surprise: Vlaams Belang, unlike the radical right elsewhere in Europe, did not become the largest in Belgium.

What’s more, in the country that holds the world record for training in 541 days, an obvious coalition presented itself. This would consist of the N-VA, French-speaking liberals from MR, Christian Democrats, center party Les Engagés and the Dutch-speaking socialists from Vooruit. Yet De Wever has been unable to form this government, which he would lead as prime minister, for six months. On January 31, he reports again to King Philip.

Budget deficit

In his speech at the New Year’s reception, De Wever quotes American President Lincoln. “You cannot avoid tomorrow’s responsibilities by avoiding them today. This country is in very bad shape.” By this, De Wever is referring, among other things, to the Belgian budget deficit, which amounts to approximately 26 billion euros. “The Belgian disease will not be cured by looking away from it.” And so the Flemish nationalist still wants to form a government in which “the further development of autonomy for Flanders is not a taboo.”

“This is the toughest government formation that Belgium has had this century,” says political scientist Carl Devos of Ghent University by telephone. “They need to reform the labor market, pensions and health care. Successive governments have failed to do so because they feared protest from the streets.” About 20 billion euros need to be saved. One of the cuts on the table during the negotiations is to reduce the pensions of teachers and railway employees, among others. There will be a strike throughout Belgium on Monday.

Belgians frown for a moment and move on. We are used to lengthy government formation here

“The left does not want social decline, the right does not want an increase in costs,” says political scientist Dave Sinardet of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. “That is not a typical Belgian problem.” What complicates the formation, according to him, is the lack of mutual trust between the negotiators. “The French-speaking liberal Georges-Louis Bouchez and the Flemish socialist Conner Rousseau are similar: They do not have the smallest ego and both pay a lot of attention to their communication on social media.”

Kicking ass

Devos sees constant public demands during negotiations as a form of “kicking a fuss,” he says. “While empathy and discretion are the basis for reaching consensus. This soap cannot last.” Sinardet also points to the lack of European or social pressure on the negotiators. “Belgians frown for a moment and move on. We are used to long government formation here.”

There are concerns about the formation at the New Year’s reception, especially at the back of the room. At the front, women and a few men dance to disco hits from the seventies and eighties. Monique Govaert is impatient. “I want to dance, but I’m waiting for my husband.” When deejay Katrina and the Waves plays, she steps onto the dance floor.

To share





Email the editor