Conservative Bart De Wever has officially assumed the role of Belgium’s new prime minister following the conclusion of a hard-fought coalition agreement that shifts the country towards the right.
The coalition was finalized late on Friday, culminating a seven-month negotiation process, making Mr. De Wever the first nationalist from Dutch-speaking Flanders to be appointed Belgian premier.
The 54-year-old leader, who has recently moderated his stance on advocating for Flanders’ independence, took the oath of office before King Philippe during a ceremony held at the royal palace in Brussels.
Following the ceremony, he is expected to attend a gathering of EU leaders nearby, focusing on discussions regarding defense and transatlantic relations.
In this instance, five political groups worked to establish a coalition after the June elections failed to yield a decisive majority, with negotiations spearheaded by Mr. De Wever’s conservative N-VA, which secured the most seats.
The newly formed government unites three parties from Dutch-speaking Flanders: the N-VA led by Mr. De Wever, the centrist Christian Democrats, and the leftist Vooruit (Onward).
Additionally, it encompasses two parties from French-speaking Wallonia: the centrist Les Engagés and the centre-right Reformist Movement.
Together, these groups constitute an 81-seat majority in Belgium’s 150-seat parliament.
The coalition discussions faced a setback during the summer due to concerns over addressing the country’s budget deficit, which stands at 4.4% of the gross domestic product for 2023.
Belgium is among seven European Union nations currently facing disciplinary measures for maintaining a deficit exceeding 3% of GDP, breaching the bloc’s fiscal regulations.
As the mayor of Antwerp since 2013, Mr. De Wever has advocated for reductions in social benefits and pension reforms, prompting backlash from labor unions.
He had warned of abandoning negotiations if a coalition agreement was not finalized by Friday.
An accord was reached mere hours before
