Bart De Wever’s discontent
According to our information, Bart De Wever expressed his dissatisfaction to the negotiators, once again threatening to throw in the towel as a trainer. At issue: the persistent blocking of Conner Rousseau, president of Vooruit.
Conner Rouseau had already set the tone on Saturday. “The chances of reaching an agreement are low,” said the leader of the Flemish socialists in the Nieuwsblad, criticizing Bart De Wever for not having fundamentally modified his proposals since the start of his mission. Conner Rousseau wants big fortunes to contribute more to the tax effort. “Sparing the super-rich and the multinationals, we cannot ask that of the socialists,” declared its spokesperson on Sunday evening.
“It’s very complicated with Conner Rousseau. The reality is that he no longer wants to discuss, or even formulate his counter-proposals. He doesn’t want any new policy… And he finds pretexts to block,” slips a liberal.
Dissatisfaction with the latest version of the trainer’s super note, and in particular the budget tables, is not limited to Vooruit, however. These tables are considered problematic by the Engagés, in particular with regard to health, by the CD&V, for the tax aspect, and by Vooruit, for the relationship between revenue and savings. “But most parties agree that the best way to improve these tables is direct negotiation between presidents,” says a source at Les Engagés. “There is no miracle recipe. We have to go into intensive conclave mode. But, at this stage, Vooruit is not willing to do that…”
“Bart De Wever is only due to go to the King tomorrow (this Monday) and we have already covered a large part of the journey in recent months. I think we are almost there,” tempered Theo Francken, N-VA MP, on VTM this Sunday.
On August 22, the president of the N-VA had already submitted his resignation to the King.
Maxime Prévot took over for a conciliation mission, before Bart De Wever left for a spin.
Five months for nothing? In Arizona, morale is at half mast after the rejection of Rousseau: “We are in for a long period of negotiations”
A last chance meeting
Will he resign his resignation this Monday or will he manage to obtain enough certainty to continue his mission? No one could answer this question this Sunday evening, especially since discussions between party presidents are still planned for Monday morning, between the five party presidents of Arizona. A last chance meeting, we are told behind the scenes…
Some negotiators retain a slim hope of reaching a compromise. “For now, everything depends on the relationship between De Wever and Rousseau,” assures a liberal source.
What will the King do in the event of resignation?
The fact remains that this Monday, if Bart De Wever no longer has the support of all the parties in Arizona, he will submit his resignation to the King. And then? The palace, after a possible consultation of party presidents, could appoint not a new trainer, but a new informant. This would constitute a very clear step backwards in the process of forming the federal executive… And would open the door to a period of uncertainty and political crisis.
A new resignation could also sign the end of Bart De Wever’s ambitions as Prime Minister.
Unless the Open VLD replaces Vooruit at the negotiating table, as the MR is saying behind the scenes? In Le Soir, the president of the Open VLD, Eva De Bleeker, has not ruled out returning to the race to govern at the federal level, but she does not just want to help out Arizona. “Everyone knows that Arizona is the best solution. And a majority of 76 seats does not seem serious,” observes a Flemish liberal source.
“Rousseau wants scorched earth”
Alternative avenues are very limited. The extension of Vivaldi is mathematically possible, but probably not politically. Some timidly evoke a tripartite, with the PS in place of the N-VA, and the Open VLD as reinforcement. But for this to happen it would be necessary for the PS and the Open VLD, who chose opposition to the federal government, to reconsider their choice. This scenario seems very improbable… “What is the alternative to Arizona? Chaos”, warned Theo Francken. And a federal source concludes: “Conner Rousseau wants a scorched earth policy.”
Conner Rousseau puts pressure on Bart De Wever: “Spare the super-rich and multinationals, we can’t ask that of the socialists”
