With the departure of Wouter Beke (CD&V) as Flemish Minister for Welfare, an important ministerial post has become vacant. The department has a budget of 13.6 billion euros, good for 25% of the total Flemish budget. In short, Well-being is a heavy responsibility that you cannot simply leave to a newcomer. Within the CD&V it can therefore be heard that the party wants to take the time and space to appoint a new minister. It is not excluded that internally existing CD&V ministers transfer to another post. There would be further talks about this within the party this weekend.
The party chairman usually decides who takes up which ministerial post. But current chairman Joachim Coens (CD&V) also recently announced his departure. On Thursday evening, the party council considered the procedure for that presidential election. Sammy Mahdi is in pole position to win that mandate. And it is evident that the future chairman will also have a voice in the appointment of the new minister, according to CD&V. Wouter Beke himself will return in full to the Federal Parliament. Steven Matheï, the mayor of Peer, will have to make room for him.