N-VA, Vooruit and CD&V to meet on Friday to discuss formation of Flemish government
Flemish informateur Bart De Wever (N-VA) will meet Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit) and Sammy Mahdi (CD&V) on Friday afternoon for talks on the formation of a Flemish government. The news, reported by VTM, was confirmed to Belga on Thursday.
As informateur, it is De Wever's job to talk to other parties to find out how a government could be formed. Vooruit had named a preparatory text on the N-VA's policy intention as a condition for joining the government formation talks.
As a socialist party, Vooruit wants proof that the conservative N-VA is willing to form a "different and more social" Flemish government, said Conner Rousseau (Vooruit) on VRT on Wednesday evening. The socialists will not join a government that only focuses on austerity measures, he said.
It is not certain whether De Wever will fulfil this demand by Friday. De Wever and his entourage are not commenting for the time being. "All talks are confidential and take place with discretion," they say.
Unhappy Vlaams Belang
Vlaams Belang leader Tom Van Grieken has also commented on the upcoming meeting of the three parties. The far-right politician is not happy that the N-VA is considering a socialist party as a government partner and says De Wever is ignoring "the voice of the people".
"De Wever is completely bowing to the wishes of the socialists. With this coalition, Flanders will get the opposite of what it voted for," he argues. "In a normal, democratic country, our party would be in the government."
He also says that Vlaams Belang is ready to support a Flemish minority government of N-VA and CD&V, but only if they write a right-wing coalition agreement. Together, the N-VA and Vlaams Belang have 62 out of 124 seats, one short of a majority.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ
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