Right-winger Bart De Wever sworn in as Belgian premier

GENEVA

Right-winger Bart De Wever officially took office on Monday as Belgium’s new prime minister after securing a coalition agreement after seven months of negotiations.

The deal was finalized late on Friday, marking the first time the federal Belgian government will be led by Flemish nationalist N-VA party.

The 54-year-old leader took the oath of office before King Philippe in a ceremony at the royal palace in Brussels. Immediately following the swearing-in, De Wever was expected to join a gathering of EU leaders to engage in discussions on defense and transatlantic relations.

The new coalition government is composed of five parties, uniting three from Dutch-speaking Flanders and two from French-speaking Wallonia. De Wever’s New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) is joined by the centrist Christian-Democrats and the leftist Vooruit (Onward) in Flanders, while the centrist Les Engages and the center-right Reformist Movement represent Wallonia.

Together, they command a narrow majority of 81 seats in Belgium’s 150-seat parliament.