The new Flemish government must aim to end its term of office with a balanced budget, Nieuw Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA) negotiator Theo Francken explained on the Flemish VRT radio.
Discussions are still underway between the N-VA, Christen Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) and Open Vld parties with a view to forming a Flemish government. In fact, the Flemish parliament will open its upcoming session without the traditional September Statement from the region’s prime minister.
"We’re trying to iron out the last kinks,” Francken stressed.
Last weekend, the negotiators discussed the issue of the budget. Francken declined to provide any details but said: “the goal will be balanced at the end of the legislature.”
Asked about the formation of a federal government, the former Secretary of State advocated a “consistent intellectual exercise with the PS” (Socialist Party).
“If that works and we succeed, that’s good. But if it doesn’t work, we need to be able to look the voters in the eye and show that we worked hard, and really tried,” he said.
The Brussels Times
