De Wever, the first Flemish nationalist to lead Belgium and a sharp critic of its French-speaking region of Wallonia, presented his government at the Royal Palace on Monday, almost eight months after his N-VA party won an election. In an interview with Wallonia broadcaster RTBF, De Wever said Belgium's francophones "do not need to worry" as he expects to cooperate well with the liberal and centrist parties from the French-speaking south in his coalition government.
The new N-VA-led cabinet also includes Christian Democrats and socialists from Flanders, Belgium's Dutch-speaking northern region, but not from the socialist PS, which has long been dominant in Wallonia but opted for the opposition after losing four seats. After being sworn in, De Wever rushed to meet other EU leaders at a summit in Brussels called to discuss Europe's defences against Russia and how to handle U.
President Donald Trump after his decision to impose tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China, and vow to do the same against the EU.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on arrival at the EU summit that Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Trump's policies were pushing Europe to take more responsibility for its own physical and economic security.
Long a eurosceptic, De Wever said he wants the EU to focus more on its core functions. De Wever also plans to reduce immigration and ensure that regular employment is more rewarding than relying on benefit payments. The coalition parties have agreed to limit unemployment benefits, currently not time-limited, to two years maximum.
