Some within the Belgian Federal Government are pressing for the state to eventually sell its 5.7% stake in the French bank BNP Paribas, according to Bloomberg.
Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that any sale is not expected in the short term and is not linked to the government’s ongoing budget talks.
At BNP Paribas’s current market value of about €95 billion, Belgium’s stake is worth roughly €5.4 billion.
Belgium built up stakes in banks during the global financial crisis to support the financial sector, and those holdings are now gradually being reduced.
The government is aiming to sell a 20% stake in Belfius by the end of the year, while discussions have also taken place over future options for insurer Ethias.
One person familiar with the discussions, speaking on condition of anonymity, said any sale of the BNP Paribas stake would most likely come only after those ongoing disposal processes have been completed.
Spokespeople for ministers from the five parties in the governing coalition, as well as BNP Paribas, declined to comment to Bloomberg.
