Belgium has a new prime minister whose political purpose was long to break up the nation, gut the state structures and give ever more autonomy to his northern Flanders at the cost of everyone else.

Conservative Bart De Wever was sworn in Monday as Belgium's new prime minister after seven months of tortuous negotiations to reach a coalition deal that shifts the country to the right. De Wever has pledged to crack down on irregular migration and has pushed for cuts in social benefits and pension reforms.

De Wever’s right-wing nationalist party claims as one of its missions the independence of Flanders from Belgium, although it’s shifted its approach to one of “confederalism,” whereby a minimal federal state remains in place but its regions get most of its powers.

Belgium's new government was installed on Monday, almost eight months after an election won by the Flemish nationalist N-VA party. N-VA leader Bart De Wever was appointed as prime minister, marking the first time the federal Belgian government will be led by a Flemish nationalist.

Belgium has a new prime minister, Bart De Wever, whose political purpose has long been to break up the nation, gut state structures, and grant more autonomy to his northern Flanders at the expense of other regions.

Conservative Bart De Wever was sworn in Monday as Belgium's new prime minister after seven months of tortuous negotiations to reach a coalition deal that shifts the country to the right. De Wever has pledged to crack down on irregular migration and has pushed for cuts in social benefits and pension reforms.