Belgian government on brink of collapse over Sudan
Coalition partner threatens to withdraw after minister accused of colluding to repatriate political opponents
Belgium’s coalition government is facing collapse over a scandal involving the forced repatriation of Sudanese migrants.
Asylum and migration minister Theo Francken is under investigation for allegely letting Sudanese officials inspect the documents of asylum seekers being returned to Sudan, supposedly allowing Omar al-Bashir’s regime to hand-pick political opponents for repatriation.
Bashir, who has been in power since 1989 following a military coup, is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Some of the asylum seekers sent back to his country were subsequently tortured, says The Washington Post.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Francken is a leading member of Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA), a Flemish nationalist party within the ruling coalition, which has warned it may withdraw support for the government because he is being investigated, The Guardian reports.
His threat drew a sharp rebuke from Prime Minister Charles Michel, who insisted he would not be intimidated by “blackmail or threats”. However, he also said that whatever the result of the inquiry, Francken’s position was safe, prompting a furious backlash from opposition Socialists and accusations he was being held hostage by the N-VA.
Belgium’s notoriously complicated political make-up, split between Flemish and Francophone parties, makes its governments among the most unstable in Europe. In 2014, the country was without a ruling administration for 138 days as Michel thrashed out a coalition agreement.
Carl Devos, a political commentator from the University of Ghent, told the Belgian newspaper Le Soir that this put the PM in an impossible position.
“Michel knows that Theo Francken is untouchable,” he said. “He knows that if he had to ask his secretary of state to resign, it would simply signal the end of his government, which would be a resounding failure for him.”
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Elevating Earth Day into a national holiday is not radical — it's practical'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
UAW scores historic win in South at VW plant
Speed Read Volkswagen workers in Tennessee have voted to join the United Auto Workers union
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 22, 2024
Cartoons Monday's cartoons - dystopian laughs, WNBA salaries, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Gaza hospital blast: What the video evidence shows about who's to blame
Speed Read Nobody wants to take responsibility for the deadly explosion in the courtyard of Gaza's al-Ahli Hospital. Roll the tape.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Giraffe poo seized after woman wanted to use it to make a necklace
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Helicopter sound arouses crocodiles
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Woman sues Disney over 'injurious wedgie'
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Emotional support alligator turned away from baseball stadium
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Europe's oldest shoes found in Spanish caves
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Artworks stolen by Nazis returned to heirs of cabaret performer
It wasn't all bad Good news stories from the past seven days
By The Week Staff Published