The victors of June 9 suggested that they would move forward at full speed to form governments at all levels of power. Despite contradictory signals…
There was, quickly after the elections, a sort of wind of optimism. Despite the consideration that one could feel for the winners and the losers, it was necessary to observe a form of clarity of resultssurprisingly clear, the opposite of what almost all political scientists and journalists could have envisaged.
Yes, the outcome of the elections could legitimately allow the winners to advance at a brisk pace. “Without confusing speed and precipitation,” as Georges-Louis Bouchez and Maxime Prévot indicated. But no, the rest of the events were perhaps not going to unfold as smoothly as this sweet euphoria suggested.
To tell the truth, very clever who can anticipate a deadline before which Belgium will have governments at all levels. The specter of an interminable crisis does not exist, not yet, perhaps never. Quickly sealed agreements remain possible. But as a scalded cat fears cold water, everyone should be careful not to formulate overly optimistic or pessimistic predictions.
Of the mixed signals are sent, sometimes from the same source. Didn’t the future ex-president of Vooruit, Conner Rousseau, himself say, not long ago, that the chances were slim of seeing the Flemish socialists join an Arizona coalition? Didn’t the future ex-president of Vooruit, Melissa Depraetere, invite her party to give it a try, all the same?
Building on his victory, the president of the MR has repeatedly indicated that he wants to move forward quickly. “Get to work” sounds like a mantra, a program, and a performative statement. Then without prejudging the future, his party announced the calling of a new presidential election, during which Georges-Louis Bouchez will be a candidate to succeed him. These include to avoid polluting government negotiations by an internal election. “After the 2019 elections, the formation of the federal government was indeed significantly slowed down by internal electoral processes organized in several parties. However, our country needs stability,” argues the MR. This means that the possibility exists, theoretically, that the delays of the time will be repeated.
In the PS, an additional contradiction, we suggested that we were opting for the opposition, knowing full well that we were almost essential in the future Brussels government, where the socialists did not really lose. This Region is the one where the political equation is the most insoluble. However, it is in the capital, despite the tensions and postures, that a dialogue has opened somewhat, between liberals and French-speaking socialists. Nothing is done, but it is at least a brief clearing.
Perhaps we put the cart before the horse, the day after the elections, by underestimating the risk of getting bogged down. Perhaps we did not anticipate the summer blockages. Perhaps, conversely, these Cassandra games will only be a distant memory by the time of the municipal elections next October. Both are possible. It’s beautiful, this uncertainty of history which is written in real time.
