Negotiations to form Belgium's next federal government are entering their final phase this morning, local media reported. They began after the elections in June last year and were repeatedly interrupted due to disputes over the future coalition, quoted by BTA.
It is expected that the mandate holder Bart de Wever will be received by King Philippe later today or tomorrow to announce whether an agreement has been reached on the overall governing program or whether he will resign. In case of failure, the king may authorize someone else to try to form a coalition. However, a recent opinion poll shows that in such a case, a majority of Belgians would prefer new elections.
Negotiations have continued daily this week, with the participants continuing to meet last night to seek agreement on the most difficult issues related to reducing budget spending. The coalition's intentions, which were presented in the media, have triggered two strikes and several protests in recent months, involving police, military, teachers, rescue workers and employees from various public and private sectors.
The negotiations are expected to conclude successfully after De Wever convened a meeting on Tuesday at the Val-Duchess castle, a state residence used for ceremonial events after the end of World War II. Due to a lack of heating in the castle, the meeting was moved to the Royal Military Academy in Brussels, and the talks could end in the coming hours.