A coalition with the far right is not foreseeable in Flanders because the traditional parties continue to maintain a cordon sanitaire, political scientist Bart Maddens analysed on Tuesday morning during a Radio 1 interview.
According to the Flemish political commentator, "there is a lack of leadership within the traditional parties to take so historic a decision" by removing the cordon that isolates Vlaams Belang.
Maddens, therefore, shares the view of N-VA president Bart De Wever that the traditional parties would never have agreed to break the cordon sanitaire by joining a coalition with the far right.
"But something fundamental has changed," the political scientist added. "It is strange that this knot was not cut at the beginning of July. The N-VA negotiated very seriously with Vlaams Belang; they were not polite talks like in Yves Leterme's time.
The Brussels Times
