Former “Pre-formateur” says government with Francophone socialists and Flemish nationalist is “impossible”
The Francophone socialist former “Pre-formateur” Rudy Demotte has said in two radio interviews that a new federal coalition that includes both the Francophone socialists and the Flemish socialist is not a possibility. Mr Demotte first spoke to the Francophone public broadcaster RTBF’s Matin Première programme before iterating his stance on VRT Radio 1’s ‘De ochtend’ programme. Mr Demotte is clear: it will be a coalition with either the Francophone socialists or with the Flemish nationalists.
The current “Federal Informateurs” Mr Demotte believes that Georges-Louis Bouchez (Francophone liberal) and Joachim Coens (Flemish Christian Democrat) would be “wasting their time” if they tried to bring about a coalition including both parties.
Mr Demotte went on to explain that the differences in policy between the Flemish nationalists and the Francophone socialist are simply so great that any coalition between the two parties would be impossible. The leader of the Francophone socialists Paul Magnette that did a stint as ‘Informateur’ came to the same conclusion. He added that “even the Flemish nationalists have written it themselves”
The former Walloon Prime Minister called on the two Federal Informateurs not to waste their time. “We know that there is an alternative and this is not a combination that includes the Francophone liberals and the Flemish nationalists, but rather a rainbow coalition (socialists, greens liberals the Flemish Christian and possibly the Francophone Christian democrats.
Mr Demotte is not in favour of new election, as he claims that there is a solution (a “rainbow coalition”) on the table.
The two Informateurs Georges-Louis Bouchez and Joachim Coens will report to King Filip on Friday.
The VRT’s Chief Political Editior Ivan De Vadder believes that Mr Demotte’s interviews were “the final death blow for the possibility of a new Federal Government that includes the Flemish nationalists”.