Deborsu: Three Majority Leaders Stay Out of Federal Government by Choice

Federal government formation talks face a distinct hurdle as three prominent majority-party leaders remain outside the ministerial team by choice, HBVL reported on Nov. 9, 2026.

According to journalist Christophe Deborsu, Belgium stands out because influential majority politicians remain outside the federal government. Deborsu stated, “In de Wetstraat blijven drie toppers bewust buiten de ploeg, daar hebben ze elk hun redenen voor”

The three individuals involved are MR president Georges-Louis Bouchez, Vooruit president Conner Rousseau, and CD&V president Sammy Mahdi. Deborsu said that all three men believe they wield more influence on policy from the outside than from within.

Bouchez holds several motivations for staying out of the cabinet: he believes his Dutch proficiency is insufficient to become prime minister while wanting to be first everywhere, he wishes to remain president of the 1B football club Francs Borains—which is incompatible with a ministerial post—and he wants to control his own schedule, noting that party presidents can arrive late anywhere while ministers cannot.

Rousseau decided to stay outside the government because, at the time of the formation, his alcohol-related antics in Sint-Niklaas remained fresh in the collective memory, and he struggles with personal matters.

Mahdi, who recently married Nawal Farih, faces energy-draining commuting challenges as a Vilvoorde resident married to a woman from Limburg. Mahdi is also the only member of the trio who has previously served in a government.

Deborsu highlighted that these three men were born between 1986 and 1992, representing a generation that has discovered it is good to think of oneself and perhaps less about the country.