Every year, newspapers list out the holiday destinations of Belgium’s main political players. Usually, they do this because there is little else to report. But this year was different. The timing of the holidays was particularly odd, just one day after a dramatic speech by the King, which seemed to indicate that this time, for real, the country was falling apart.

Traditionally, the King’s speech is somewhat bland. Topics such as tolerance, the arts, or the importance of knowing different languages seem to be chosen because they offend no-one. This year though, the King, fists clenched, seemed to address politicians directly, urging them to find compromises and to form a government swiftly. The speech ended with a remarkable call for unity.

It formed the background to crucial political talks, last Wednesday and Thursday, as formateur Di Rupo, whose resignation the King had not (yet) accepted, attempted to persuade the Flemish Christian Democrats to enter coalition talks. CD&V’s Wouter Beke played hard to get, demanding that the BHV issue be solved first, without some of the extra compensations the Frenchspeakers ask for. In the end, Beke gave in (or Di Rupo, depending on the perspective). Finally, more than 400 days after the elections, real government negotiations can begin. But first, of course, there are holidays. Even the King agrees on that, noting the “exhaustion” of some of the negotiators and their entourage.

A similar holiday last year, known as the semaine familiale, or family eek, turned out disastrous. The dynamics of the previous talks had completely evaporated by the end of it. With three weeks off now, his might happen again.

Anyone who does not agree with the current set-up will now speak up. Take Bart De Wever’s N-VA, who won he federal elections convincingly in Flanders. N-VA rejected Elio Di Rupo’s note as “bad for Flanders” and its middle class voters, and ill not be joining coalition talks. Since the elections, CD&V has always stood by N-VA’s side. Until now. Or take the radical Frenchspeaking FDF, the party that dreads any deal around BHV. Both of them will no doubt try to destabilize coalition talks. The outcome will soon be known. After the holidays.