BRUSSELS — A diverse array of Belgian political parties has set a self-imposed deadline for Friday to finalize a government program, aiming to resolve a seven-month stalemate in coalition negotiations.

If an agreement is reached among the five parties involved, a new government could be announced over the upcoming weekend.

It is expected that Bart De Wever, leader of the Flemish nationalist N-VA party, will take over as prime minister, succeeding Alexander De Croo, who has been serving in a caretaker role since the elections in June of the previous year.

Coalition governance often presents challenges, but Belgium’s situation is further complicated by the need to balance interests between the Dutch-speaking northern region of Flanders, which has approximately 6.7 million residents, the francophone southern region of Wallonia with around 3.7 million residents, and the multilingual capital of Brussels, home to about 1.2 million people.

Attention is particularly focused on the Vooruit socialist party from Flanders, as it deliberates on whether to endorse a program that proposes cuts to social benefits while primarily sparing large corporations in efforts to address the nation’s heavily indebted budget.

Belgium’s total debt currently exceeds 100% of its GDP, placing it among the most indebted nations in the European Union, which comprises 27 member states.

Should Vooruit choose to participate, this coalition would also include the francophone MR free-market liberals, the centrist CD&V, the Engages, and the N-VA, collectively holding 81 of the 150 seats in the House, thus achieving a strong majority.

However, the extended duration of coalition discussions underscores the significant challenges that exist in reconciling the differing priorities among the political parties involved.

At 236 days, this period falls considerably short of Belgium’s longest record of 541 days set between 2010 and 2011.