Flanders has a new government
- The coalition agreement was reached after months of negotiations following the regional elections on June 9.
- Key issues included budget disagreements, the use of headscarves in public services, and the structure of the Flemish parliament.
- The new government aims to improve education, health, and affordable living in Flanders.
After a summer of negotiations, a coalition agreement was reached in the Flanders region of Belgium early Saturday morning. The coalition includes representatives from the Social Democratic Vooruit, the Christian Democrats of the CD&V, and the conservative N-VA. Negotiations began following the regional elections on June 9 and were marked by significant discussions and disagreements, particularly regarding budget allocations, the use of headscarves in public services, and the structure of the Flemish parliament. Matthias Diependaele of N-VA, who led the negotiations, expressed satisfaction with the creative solutions found to unite the parties. Conner Rousseau, leader of Vooruit, highlighted the positive outcomes for education, health, and affordable living in the new government. The coalition agreement will be presented to the respective parties in the coming days, with the distribution of ministerial portfolios expected by the end of next week. This new government aims to address pressing social issues and improve governance in Flanders.