The weekend news that Belgium has – finally – formed a government has been widely welcomed.
The country, this time, fell well short of its previous record of functioning with no government.
That was back in 2010 when it took no less than 541 days before a government could be formed after general elections.
On Sunday,the Co-Chairmen of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group in the European Parliament (ECR), Nicola Procaccini (Italy) and Patryk Jaki (Poland), have congratulated Bart De Wever, leader of the Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (New Flemish Alliance, N-VA), on successfully forming Belgium’s new coalition government.
Following a strong performance in the June elections, the centre-right N-VA will lead the federal government for the first time, providing the Prime Minister.
With Belgium alongside Italy and the Czech Republic, ECR Group parties will have prime ministers leading governments in three EU countries.
Co-Chairman Nicola Procaccini stated: “Bart De Wever’s leadership has delivered a decisive political achievement.
This is a pivotal moment, confirming that centre-right parties are not only winning the confidence of citizens at the ballot box but also leading governments with responsibility and clarity of purpose. We wish our Flemish friends every success in implementing the necessary reforms at home and look forward to working closely together to advance essential reforms at the European level.
Co-Chairman Patryk Jaki added:
Our Flemish colleagues have demonstrated remarkable political resolve. The N-VA’s commitment to responsibility and reform has been unwavering, even through challenging times. Their future role in the Belgian government now presents an opportunity to advance meaningful reforms and strengthen governance rooted in accountability, not only in Belgium but also in the European Union.
The ECR Group says it “looks forward” to cooperating with the N-VA, particularly on “advancing necessary reforms within Europe, opposing a federal EU superstate, enhancing economic competitiveness, and protecting Europe’s borders against illegal migration.”
