Bart De Wever, the president of the nationalist New Flemish Alliance, has been appointed by Belgium’s king to explore coalition possibilities following the recent EU elections. Despite predictions that the far-right Vlaams Belang party would become the main political force in the country, the N-VA retained its position as the biggest political party. De Wever has been tasked with identifying parties interested in quickly forming a stable coalition at the federal level. The king has requested a report by June 19th on potential coalition options as Flemish nationalist parties dominated the elections, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Alexander De Croo’s liberal party.
The N-VA secured an expected 22% of the votes in the elections, maintaining its top spot ahead of the Vlaams Belang party, which came in second with a 17.5% share. The Socialist Voruit party gained about 10.5% of the votes, while De Croo’s party received less than 7% and he subsequently resigned. Despite the rise of Vlaams Belang, mainstream parties have maintained a “cordon sanitaire” doctrine, preventing the far-right party from entering governments by excluding it from power. This poses complications for forming a coalition government in Belgium, given the country’s linguistic divide between francophone Wallonia and Dutch-speaking Flanders.
De Wever’s role in exploring coalition options comes at a critical time as Belgium faces the challenge of forming a government that represents both regions and addresses the diverse political landscape following the EU elections. The deep regional identities and language divisions in the country make negotiations complex, particularly with the need to incorporate parties from both Wallonia and Flanders in any coalition. The outcome of the upcoming coalition negotiations will have significant implications for the governance and stability of Belgium, as well as the representation of different political ideologies in the country’s leadership.
The exclusion of the far-right Vlaams Belang party from government under the “cordon sanitaire” doctrine highlights the challenges of balancing political representation and ideological diversity in Belgium. This policy reflects a commitment by mainstream parties to prevent the rise of far-right and anti-immigration sentiments within the government. As De Wever engages in discussions to identify potential coalition partners, he must navigate the complex political landscape and negotiate with parties from varying backgrounds to form a stable government that represents the interests of both Flemish and francophone communities.
The success of the N-VA in the recent elections and its position as the biggest political party in Belgium demonstrate the continued influence of Flemish nationalism in the country’s political landscape. De Wever’s leadership of the N-VA and his role in exploring coalition possibilities underscore the party’s significance in shaping the future of governance in Belgium. The upcoming coalition negotiations will test De Wever’s ability to build consensus among diverse political parties and address the challenges of forming a stable government in a deeply divided country. The decisions made during these negotiations will have lasting implications for Belgium’s political direction and the representation of different regions within the government.
