28 september 2020
05:11
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The liberals, socialists, greens and CD&V started the final sprint of the government negotiations on Monday morning. The main questions are where the money comes from and who will be prime minister.
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The seven parties that want to form a Vivaldi government are expected to meet again on Monday morning around ten o’clock for the last mile of the negotiations.
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Monday morning at 4 a.m. they had parted without a final agreement after a marathon session. The socialists, liberals, greens and CD&V sat together since 10 a.m. Sunday morning for what was described as the last straight line to the finish.
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There was nevertheless a lot of optimism on Sunday morning. “The atmosphere is good,” said Groen leader Kristof Calvo at the start of the talks. “It will be a very long day and a very long night. We will not sleep anymore, ‘said PS chairman Paul Magnette, who leads the talks together with his fellow formateur Alexander De Croo (Open VLD).
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Budget
In the course of the day it became clear that a fast landing was difficult. On the table were charged themes such as pensions and taxation, where important decisions still had to be made. The minimum pension of 1,500 euros: is that net or gross? And what contribution will come from the strongest shoulders?
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The seven Vivaldi parties hardly discussed the budget for Sunday.
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These knots are inextricably linked to the budget, which the negotiators have to discuss on Monday. After all, the crucial question is: how will the Vivaldi parties finance the new policy? Each party has its own ideas about this, but until now it has hardly been discussed.
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The mail
Because there is still so much uncertainty, according to a negotiator it was difficult to land on Sunday night. All the more so because the posts must also be discussed: who will be prime minister and which party will receive which ministerial posts?
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The fact that a landing was not made on Sunday night is not a problem in itself: the formateurs are not expected at King Filip until Monday evening. Which therefore provides space to play extensions.
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If the Vivaldi parties stick to their Thursday October 1 deadline, an agreement by Monday evening is needed. Party conventions have yet to be organized before the government can be installed.
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CD&V
In addition, the Christian Democrats are eagerly awaited, where the party still does not seem to be in line with government participation. The construction for that congress now seems to be underway. On Sunday, Federal Deputy Prime Minister Koen Geens said that he ‘will drag through the congress’.
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Formateurs Paul Magnette and Alexander De Croo are expected at the king on Monday evening.
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On Monday, Peter Wouters, general chairman of the Christian labor movement Beweging.net, said on Radio 1 that this government “deserves more credit,” if only because the parties that understand the importance of social dialogue are on board.
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Arco
Wouters said he did not know whether the coalition agreement contains a passage about Arco, the cooperative holding company of the Christian workers’ movement that went bankrupt after the fall of Dexia. “I hope they consider it,” said Wouters. Beweging.net is still hoping for compensation for the 800,000 shareholders who lost their money.
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