Podcast Summary: Les Clés
Episode: 1 an d’Arizona : Les Engagés et le dilemme du centre (2/5)
Podcast: Les Clés (RTBF)
Release Date: February 2, 2026
Duration: ~28 minutes
Episode Overview
This episode examines the trajectory of Les Engagés, Belgium's centrist party, one year after the formation of the "Arizona" government coalition. The host and expert guests dissect the party's evolution—especially its shift towards the center-right—its government record, the impact of Maxime Prévost stepping down as president, and the complex challenge of maintaining a coherent identity between the rightward drift of traditional allies (MR) and left-leaning voters who helped propel Les Engagés’ 2024 resurgence.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Post-2024 Political Landscape and Les Engagés’ Rise
Timestamps: 00:01–03:44
- On June 9, 2024, Les Engagés achieved a "spectacular renaissance," moving from polling under 10% to securing 20% in Wallonia and over 10% in Brussels.
- Their campaign, under Maxime Prévost, focused on “the courage of nuance,” pushing back against political polarization and advocating responsibility over divisiveness.
- Quote (Prévost, 02:34):
« On est dans un contexte où on brosse les gens dans le sens du poil, où les réseaux sociaux valorisent ce qui est trash... Le vrai courage aujourd’hui, c’est celui de la nuance. »
- Les Engagés formed majority governments with MR in Wallonia and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, guided by a philosophy of “soutenable rigueur” (sustainable rigor), promising responsibility, not austerity.
2. From Campaign to Governance: Navigating Coalition Politics
Timestamps: 03:45–06:46
- Upon entering both regional and federal governments, Les Engagés took on key portfolios (Prévost became federal Vice-Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs).
- They emphasized their willingness to make tough reforms, including cost savings and structural changes, while seeking to shield the most vulnerable.
- The episode highlights thorny issues such as reforms at the SNCB (national railway) and a sprawling reorganization of federal administrations.
- Tensions arise from their proximity to MR, which pursues a more polarizing right-wing agenda.
3. Ideological Balance: The Centrist Dilemma
Timestamps: 06:47–09:54
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Political analysts note Les Engagés’ fine balancing act: having won over left-leaning voters (notably from Écolo), they now govern in a centre-right configuration, risking disillusionment among this new electorate.
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Analyst Jérémy Dedeigne (06:46) outlines their policy mix:
- Increased individual responsibility (reforms in unemployment and pensions)
- Socially moderate redistribution (e.g., reduced property registration fees, some capital taxation)
- Emphasis on health care spending and access
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Quote (Dedeigne, 06:46):
« Cet équilibrage centriste... se fait également par un renforcement du pouvoir d'achat... et la politique énergétique mise sur une partie de la prolongation du nucléaire. »
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difficulties are expected to intensify as fiscal constraints and coalition pressures mount.
4. Electoral Ownership and Identity Challenges
Timestamps: 09:54–13:31
- The party struggles to claim credit for centrist reforms that appear associated with MR, while their “humane” and nuanced approach is hard to distinguish in the current polarized climate.
- Health care, a signature issue, has seen less growth in spending than promised (target: 3.5% annual growth vs. actuality of ~2%).
- Quote (Analyst, 11:43):
« Ils plaidaient pour une norme de croissance de 3,5%... Ici, on est à 2%... et il va falloir se battre pour les maintenir. »
5. Clear Shift to Centre-Right?
Timestamps: 13:31–16:30
- Dedeigne and Dupin agree that, in practice, Les Engagés exhibit centre-right markers in labor, taxation, and redistribution—accentuated by new recruits from MR.
- The party benefits from space left open by MR's rightward shift but risks losing part of its left-leaning coalition.
- Quote (Dedeigne, 13:31):
« Tous ces marqueurs étaient clairement au centre droit... il y a un positionnement de libéralisme social, mais il suffit de ne rien faire, on y gagne... »
- Les Engagés’ “kingmaker” potential is reinforced by the fact that MR’s direction closes off alliances with left parties, indirectly boosting Engagés' centrality.
6. End of 'Honeymoon' with MR and Intra-Coalition Competition
Timestamps: 16:30–19:41
- The episode documents cooling relations with MR:
- Direct competition for centre-right voters (e.g., Brussels coalition-forming efforts excluding MR, high-profile defections)
- Increasingly competitive, even adversarial, stances on issues like education and government budgeting
- Analyst (17:18):
« Oui, la lune de miel est clairement terminée... Les relations ne sont plus au beau fixe entre les deux partenaires de majorité. »
- The left opposition seizes on Les Engagés’ association with MR, attacking them as insufficiently distinct—especially to win back former Écolo and PS voters.
7. Leadership Change: Maxime Prévost to Yvan Verhoekstraet
Timestamps: 19:41–23:59
- Prévost, who embodied the party’s makeover, becomes foreign minister; entrepreneur Yvan Verhoekstraet takes over as party president.
- Brief portrait of Verhoekstraet:
- Youngest municipal councillor (Woluwe-Saint-Pierre)
- Successful entrepreneur (Daily Tractor, Medimarket)
- Joins politics in 2021, rises quickly in Les Engagés
- Attempts but fails to form a government in Brussels post-2024 elections
- Verhoekstraet represents a continuation of Prévost’s work, with a more entrepreneurial, centre-right profile.
- Quote (Verhoekstraet, 21:12):
« À force de critiquer, je crois qu’il faut s’engager... essayer de faire évoluer la société vers un modèle auquel je crois. »
- Prévost maintains media visibility as foreign affairs minister, notably during international crises and the push for Palestinian state recognition, balancing the party’s profile between robust centrism and global engagement.
8. Democratic Style and the 'True Liberalism' Paradox
Timestamps: 24:00–26:13
- Les Engagés are contrasted with MR’s increasingly confrontational “war of cultures,” with Les Engagés upholding pluralism, respect for dissent, and commitment to democratic processes beyond just elections.
- Analyst (24:49):
« La démocratie continue de vivre entre les élections... Là-dessus, les engagés incarnent davantage cette logique... là où l’OMR incarne l’idée que seule l’élection compte. »
9. Electoral Risks and the Challenge of Holding the Centre
Timestamps: 26:37–28:38
- The party’s core dilemma: how to keep the left-leaning voters gained in 2024 as it slides further centre-right, especially on education and climate policy.
- Recent studies estimate a net gain of 66,500 voters from Écolo, a “flanc gauche à protéger”—yet policy alignment with those voters is tenuous, especially with reforms (e.g., teacher contracts) that may alienate them.
- As Écolo contemplates a return to center-left climate rhetoric, Les Engagés may struggle to defend their space on environmental issues, especially given downgrades in building isolation policies and a lack of high-profile climate initiatives.
- Quote (Political Analyst, 26:37):
« Il y a un flanc gauche à protéger... certain... ne sera pas tout à fait en phase avec le discours et les politiques menées par les engagés. »
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On centrist courage in a polarized era
— Maxime Prévost (02:34):« Le vrai courage aujourd’hui, c’est celui de la nuance. »
- On coalition tensions and lost totem issues
— Political Analyst (11:43):« La santé... Ils plaidaient pour une norme de croissance de 3,5%... Ici, on est à 2%. »
- On the end of harmony with MR
— Political Analyst (17:18):« Oui, la lune de miel est clairement terminée... »
- On democratic ethos
— Baptiste Dupin (24:49):« On doit respecter la critique, on doit permettre aux syndicats d’organiser des manifestations, on doit permettre aux médias d’organiser le pluralisme... Les engagés incarnent davantage cette logique. »
- On the risk of losing left-wing converts
— Political Analyst (26:37):« Il y a un flanc gauche à protéger... »
Important Segments & Timestamps
- 00:01–02:34 – The “nuance” campaign, the 2024 electoral comeback
- 03:44–05:29 – Early government participation, formation of the Arizona coalition
- 06:09–08:55 – First expert analysis: balancing reforms with social concerns
- 09:54–12:57 – Difficulties in “owning” policies and standing out against MR
- 13:31–16:30 – Detailed breakdown of centre-right policy drift
- 16:30–19:41 – Rising MR/Engagés rivalry, implications for coalition dynamics
- 19:41–21:58 – Verhoekstraet’s biography and leadership change significance
- 24:00–26:13 – The paradox of “liberalism” and different democratic styles
- 26:37–28:38 – Risk of losing left/green voters and the climate policy gap
Conclusion
The episode draws a nuanced portrait of Les Engagés at a critical juncture: successful in reclaiming political relevance through moderation, they now risk losing their electoral coalition to both right and left. The leadership handover from Maxime Prévost to Yvan Verhoekstraet, combined with shifting alliances and mounting government challenges, puts the party’s centrist “brand” to the test—as they attempt to bridge responsibility, nuance, and policy ambition in an ever more polarized landscape.
For deeper insight, listen to key exchanges at the listed timestamps, notably on coalition shifting (16:30), leadership dynamics (19:41–21:58), and the foundational dilemmas of centrist politics (24:00–28:38).