King Philippe of Belgium today received the mandate holder for forming the next federal government, Bart de Wever, and extended the term of his mission until January 31, local media reported, quoted by BTA.
According to the comments, this decision suggests that the negotiations for forming a coalition are progressing. Negotiators from the five parties continued the talks until late last night, with discussions not stopping even during the Christmas and New Year holidays. Today, De Wever requested a final postponement so that he can announce the successful formation of a coalition.
The negotiations, which began after the elections in June last year, are going through numerous difficulties and temporary interruptions. In this regard, the media are already discussing the possibility of calling new elections. According to recent surveys, most Belgians prefer a second vote to a prolonged political stalemate.
One obstacle is the exclusion of the far-right party, which came second in the election, from the negotiations. Belgian law does not limit the time limit for reaching a coalition agreement, which allows for lengthy negotiations. In 2010-2011, the country set a record of 541 days without a government, for which it was entered in the Guinness Book of Records.
De Wever and his team are under considerable public pressure to reach an agreement in the coming weeks.