A Shaky Marriage

Flemish nationalist politician Bart De Wever was officially sworn in as Belgium’s new prime minister this week, marking the first time in the country’s history that a separatist figure from the Dutch-speaking Flanders region will hold the top position, the Associated Press reported Tuesday.

De Wever’s swearing-in came after seven months of coalition negotiations following the June federal elections that saw his conservative New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) party gain the most seats, but not a clear majority.

The five-party coalition – comprised of three Flemish parties and two parties from the French-speaking Wallonia region – reached an agreement last week after De Wever had threatened to walk out.

Together, they hold an 81-seat majority in Belgium’s 150-seat parliament, wrote Agence France-Presse.

De Wever’s pick as prime minister surprised many in Belgium, where the conservative leader is known for pushing for Flanders’ independence and thus breaking up the Belgian state. He is remembered for a series of nationalist stunts, such as driving trucks of fake money to Wallonia to protest financial transfers to the region, according to the Belgium-based Brussels Times.

But in recent years, he has softened his stance on separatism and called for “confederalism,” which would grant his Flanders region more powers while keeping the country together.

Observers suggested that his decision to take the role of prime minister and swear allegiance to Belgium’s King Philippe indicated a shift towards working with the system.

The new 15-member cabinet will now focus on a series of austerity policies aimed at addressing Belgium’s budget deficit, which was 4.4 percent of the gross domestic product in 2023 – exceeding the European Union’s three percent limit.

The government also seeks to reduce social benefits and implement pension reforms, sparking opposition from labor unions. De Wever has also called for reducing the EU’s “regulatory fervor” to boost corporate competitiveness and the bloc’s defense should remain anchored within NATO, added Reuters.

The new prime minister and his N-VA party have also called for stricter immigration rules and to scrap Belgium’s planned nuclear energy phase-out, ensuring continued reliance on nuclear power.