The landing of Vivaldi remains difficult. The negotiators did not meet their first deadline, but the king granted the co-formateurs some extra time. “As soon as possible”, they received the message. Main obstacle is the budget. How much room do they have for new policy? And how are they going to pay for that? “We … Read more
The negotiators of the seven parties that want to form a new federal government are still sitting around the table on Sunday evening looking for a coalition agreement. It seems unlikely that they will be able to complete their work completely during the night. After all, there is still a lot of trouble on the … Read more
MR chairman Georges-Louis Bouchez agrees with the contours that the preformers Conner Rousseau (SP.A) and Egbert Lachaert (Open VLD) have set for the next government. This was heard in circles around the negotiators. – Is Vivaldi saved after all? The fact that Bouchez agrees with the proposal of the preformers means that a meeting can … Read more
Open VLD and the socialist family are working out a major framework agreement that should push the formation definitively towards the finish. MR Chairman Georges-Louis Bouchez must then say “oui” by way of bowing down. CD&V only came in late. “We know enough about the concerns to take them into account,” the preformers say. – … Read more
Political scientist Carl Devos (UGent) describes the current situation as very chaotic. But also as a situation that can go in all directions. “What we expect now, that this will mean the definitive end of Vivaldi, may look completely different in the future.” – Political scientist Carl Devos is afraid to say that the SP.A … Read more
Now that all Vivaldi party chairmen have tested negative, they can resume their physical conversations. The agenda includes a series of substantive debates, but also the question of who will be the formateur and therefore prime minister of the next government. At the same time, the search for future ministers begins. That is a minefield … Read more
The seven Vivaldi parties were physically together again on Thursday for the first time since the quarantine interruption, but behind the scenes the party chairmen and their Sherpas were working diligently on a coalition agreement. The biggest political knots have yet to be made, but the negotiators have already agreed on a number of issues. … Read more
A bomb for the upcoming government, a splinter bomb for CD&V. That is what Pieter De Crem drops with his interview in our sister newspaper The standard. The CD&V minister burns a government without an N-VA and thus places its chairman Joachim Coens, who starts negotiating Vivaldi from Thursday, in an almost impossible position. – … Read more
Flemish minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA) threatens not to grant a permit to the gas-fired power stations that are needed if the Vivaldi government wants to close all nuclear power stations. The other parties call it “political games”. – “We ask for cooperation with the federal government on 77 points in the Flemish coalition agreement, and … Read more
Flemish minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA) threatens not to grant a permit to the gas-fired power stations that are needed if the Vivaldi government wants to close all nuclear power stations. The other parties call it “political games”. – “We ask for cooperation with the federal government on 77 points in the Flemish coalition agreement, and … Read more