Belgium’s finance minister De Croo set to become prime minister

Belgium’s caretaker finance minister Alexander De Croo is set to be appointed the country’s prime minister, 16 months after a parliamentary election, according to Belgian daily Le Soir.

The new prime minister is expected to be sworn in and present the government’s programme to Belgian lawmakers on Thursday, the first day of a summit of EU leaders that he would be expected to attend.

Belgium is finally getting a new government on Wednesday, 16 months on from a parliamentary election, with the Belgian king expected to name caretaker finance minister Alexander De Croo as the new prime minister.

Following weeks of talks, seven parties spanning the French-Dutch language divide have agreed to form a governing coalition to replace the caretaker administration of Sophie Wilmes, who led Belgium through six months of the COVID-19 crisis.

Belgium has one of the world’s highest COVID-19 fatalities per capita. The death toll passed 10,000 on Wednesday.

Paul Magnette, leader of the French-speaking Socialists, said on Twitter that he was heading to the palace to form a government with other parties.

Belgium had been under a caretaker administration since the start of the COVID-19 crisis in March and without a fully fledged government since December 2018, when a four-party coalition collapsed.