Flemish Government in Crisis: Diependaele Under Fire

The Flemish government, led by Minister-President Matthias Diependaele (N-VA), is confronting a severe political crisis characterized by internal coalition infighting, subsidy scandals, and mounting criticism of Diependaele’s leadership capabilities. A scathing analysis in De Morgen this week described the minister-president as having “the charisma of a mop” — a damning assessment that has crystallized months of growing discontent with his leadership.

Background: A Fragile Coalition

The Diependaele government took office on September 30, 2024, following the Flemish regional elections of June 9, 2024. It is a three-party coalition bringing together the nationalist-conservative N-VA, the social-democratic Vooruit, and the Christian-democratic CD&V. The coalition, informally dubbed a “raketijscoalitie” (rocket-ice coalition) for its yellow-orange-red color scheme, holds a narrow majority of 65 out of 124 seats in the Flemish Parliament.

From the outset, observers noted the ideological tensions inherent in the coalition. N-VA, the dominant force in Flemish politics led federally by Prime Minister Bart De Wever, is a center-right Flemish nationalist party. Its partners, Vooruit and CD&V, represent the left and center of the political spectrum respectively. According to Wikipedia, the government has nine ministers, with N-VA holding five portfolios, Vooruit two, and CD&V two.

The Subsidy Scandals

The crisis began in earnest in early January 2026, when multiple controversies over subsidy allocations erupted simultaneously. Education Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA) awarded an €8.2 million subsidy to Thomas More University College after canceling a public tender, sparking accusations of cronyism. Agriculture Minister Jo Brouns (CD&V) allocated €5 million to a Boerenbond (Farmers’ Union) consortium, while Welfare Minister Caroline Gennez (Vooruit) granted over €500,000 to a knowledge center with alleged close ties to her cabinet.

As VRT NWS reported, Diependaele initially called his majority to order, denying a crisis while criticizing “unjust insinuations.” However, the damage was done. An emergency debate in the Flemish Parliament on January 14 saw fierce opposition criticism. Opposition leader Egbert Lachaert (Open VLD) described the government as “a fight club of egos on steroids,” while Mieke Schauvliege (Groen) accused ministers of reviving “old PS practices” — a reference to the clientelist traditions of the French-speaking Socialist Party.

Diependaele admitted during the debate that the government had not shown good cooperation, telling VRT NWS that it was “a shame that the good work of the government was undermined by a wrongly conducted discussion.” By February 6, he acknowledged on the program “De Afspraak op Vrijdag” that the government had a “subsidy problem,” noting that €350 million in subsidies had been cut the previous September.

Leadership Under Fire

The central theme across all reporting is Diependaele’s perceived lack of leadership. The PAL Nieuws analysis from January 21 was blunt: “If this were the federal government, it would have fallen long ago.” The article describes Diependaele as a “weak figure” who cannot function as a team leader, noting that ministers are already thinking about their post-2029 futures rather than focusing on current governance.

Former Trends editor-in-chief Frans Crols, quoted in the same analysis, diagnosed a broader malaise: “I see a lack of vision and courage. It’s an emperor-sacristan mentality, with the regulation-itis of Flemish obedience having taken over again.”

The Gaza Dimension

The crisis is not solely about subsidies. In August 2025, Diependaele made controversial personal remarks about the Gaza conflict, asking “who is the bigger scumbag?” — comparing Israel’s disproportionate violence to Hamas using children as human shields. As P-Magazine reported, coalition partners CD&V and Vooruit publicly distanced themselves from his statements, with CD&V chairman Sammy Mahdi calling them “shameful.” The incident exposed the coalition’s fragility on foreign policy issues and left Diependaele isolated within his own government.

Analysis: Structural or Personal Crisis?

While much of the reporting focuses on Diependaele’s personal shortcomings, the crisis appears structural. The coalition brings together three parties with fundamentally different ideologies on a narrow majority. The subsidy scandals reveal deeper issues of governance culture — what critics call “pillarization” (verzuiling), where each minister favors organizations aligned with their party’s traditional networks.

This internal dysfunction has real economic consequences. The PAL analysis notes that chemical company Vioneo canceled plans for a €1.5 billion green plastics factory in the Port of Antwerp, choosing China instead — while the Flemish government was preoccupied with internal conflicts.

What’s Next

As a “legislature government,” the Diependaele administration cannot be dissolved except through a constructive motion of no confidence, providing some institutional stability. However, the narrow majority means even minor defections could create governing challenges. The question of whether N-VA might seek a different coalition partner — possibly Open VLD — for the next legislature hangs over the current government.

With the next Flemish elections scheduled for 2029, the government faces more than two and a half years of potential paralysis. Zuhal Demir is widely seen as positioning herself to become the next N-VA Minister-President, while coalition partners grow increasingly restive. The coming months will test whether Diependaele can assert his authority — or whether the Flemish government will limp toward the next election as a permanently weakened administration.