Lnegotiators from the N-VA, MR, Engagés, Vooruit and CD&V met again on Thursday. Discussions between the five parties of the Arizona coalition had been at a standstill since the beginning of last week, when the Flemish socialists left the negotiating table.
Vooruit considered the latest version of trainer Bart De Wever’s socio-economic and budgetary note to be unbalanced and has since refused to resume discussions. According to President Conner Rousseau, the trainer’s new proposal contains “important openings”.
On Tuesday, the King once again extended Mr. De Wever’s mission so that he could put in place a “stable majority”, a formula involving bringing Vooruit into the coalition rather than Open Vld. The Flemish liberals would only offer a majority holding on to a single seat in the Chamber.
At the start of the meeting, Mr. Rousseau indicated that he had received a new proposal. “There are significant openings. I read that wider shoulders will contribute more, the index finger is maintained and the efforts distributed more equitably,” he explained.
The Flemish socialists want to ensure that the other parties involved in the negotiations have the same reading of the proposal. “If these openings are real, we can get somewhere. If these overtures prove false, we will not succeed,” warned Mr. Rousseau.
Several sources close to negotiators mention the possibility of working according to a new methodology. Thematic work by theme would be favored, instead of presenting an overall note to be negotiated.
This meeting should be brief.
Belgium
