Prime Minister Bart De Wever lashes out at Brussels coalition talks excluding N-VA

In the HLN podcast Het Rapport van de Wetstraat, Prime Minister Bart De Wever reacted sharply after seven parties entered into talks to form a Brussels government without the N-VA. What particularly sticks in his craw is Anders’ sudden willingness to come to the table without the N-VA—apparently just to appease the PS.

“Malgoverno, nongoverno”

Bart De Wever says he recognises a strategy the PS has used before: waiting until the others are completely worn down. “Malgoverno, nongoverno,” he quotes. Bad government or no government at all—it makes no difference to the PS, as long as it eventually gets its way.

The fact that Anders now appears ready to join a Brussels government without the N-VA is, in his view, the ultimate display of political cynicism. “Frédéric De Gucht used the Brussels coalition talks as a springboard for his leadership campaign. He might as well rename his party ‘The Same’: crawling to the PS.”

“Flemish liberals bear an overwhelming responsibility”

“The Flemish liberals bear an overwhelming responsibility for Brussels’ financial tailspin. They have always supplied the Budget Minister. And then I hear Frédéric De Gucht on TV yesterday saying, ‘But now I feel reassured.’ That level of cynicism honestly leaves me stunned.”

“Everyone has been taken for a ride in Brussels—myself included,” Bart De Wever adds pointedly. “Because I will soon have to report back to Europe, and that Brussels budgetary disaster is part of my figures too. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen isn’t going to say, ‘Those billions in deficit—we’ll just wipe them away because they’re the fault of Brussels bunglers.’ No. She’ll say, ‘Sorry, fix it.’ So I’ll simply have to deal with the consequences. It’s unbelievable.”

“They’ve said Brussels will present a balanced budget by 2029 and that they’ll get the PS to deliver it. I genuinely wish them the best of luck. If they succeed, I’ll apologise for what I’ve just said,” Prime Minister Bart De Wever concludes.