The two parties want a government to be formed as soon as possible to come up with solutions to the socio-economic problems that Belgium is facing. They are in favour of a reform of the state that would deliver a new balance between the country’s communities, the federal state and the federated bodies. They are calling on their Christian Democrat colleagues to reach a similar agreement with regard to a reform of the state.

“The last months have shown that, within the MR and Open Vld, there is a common view on the need for and the premises of such a reform of state,” say Reynders and Somers. “We call on the Presidents of CdH and CD&V to rapidly find a common view on the guidelines, framework and methods of the necessary reform of the state.”
On 3 December, the former prime minister Guy Verhofstadt (Open Vld) accepted King Albert II’s invitation for him to act as ‘informateur’, a kind of mediator to help the different parties agree on a way out of the current deadlock. Verhofstadt appeared to rule out any suggestion of a permanent return to government on the basis that his party lost the last elections. He said that the role was “of a very temporary and limited nature” at his request”.

A key issue that he will have to tackle is how to launch talks on a major reform of the state. As things stand, it is likely that the work for this reform will be prepared by a ‘Convention’ bringing together both Francophone and Flemish-speaking MPs.