Belgium has a new prime minister, one who long tried to gut the nation and seek regional autonomy

BRUSSELS (AP) — 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.

Bart De Wever took the oath early Monday, looking straight at King Philippe, the latest monarch of a royal house he so long had little but disdain for because it symbolized the old concept of Belgian unity.

“I swear allegiance to the king,” he said.

It was another indication how times change, and bold demands for Flemish independence have made room for the hope of gradual change and finding a renewed balance between Dutch-speaking Flanders, with 6.7 million people, francophone Wallonia, with 3.7 million, and multilingual Brussels, with 1.2 million.

The prime minister and leading ministers took the oath in Dutch and French while several others on the 15-member team from both sides of the linguistic divide stuck to their own language during a short ceremony at the Royal Palace.

“You can ... not take part in a government and wait until the system can be taken as a whole. I never believed in that,” he told De Standaard newspaper. “The other option is to take part when you can, and obtain things for your community, and that is what we did."

“When you don't take part, you are certainly left emptyhanded,” he added.

Language issues are woven throughout the past century, as the French-dominated nation gradually made way for a balanced political scene while Wallonia's industrial prowess waned and Flanders' economic power rose.

De Wever of the Flemish nationalist N-VA party succeeds Alexander De Croo, who has remained in office as a caretaker since the June elections last year. De Wever will join his fellow European Union leaders at a summit in Brussels later Monday.

“We will have a government that will clean up the budget, implement a fair social policy, reward work, implement the strictest migration policy ever, abolish the nuclear phase-out, and invest in safety,” N-VA said in a statement.

One issue immediately stood out — gender balance. When De Croo had achieved quasi parity between men and women on his team, De Wever only has three women on his team of 15, and none among the four vice premiers. He has said he regrets it, but never made it a key point in the coalition talks.

De Wever brought an eclectic mix of five parties together to break a 7-month deadlock in coalition talks. The Flemish nationalist was only given a shot at successfully brokering a coalition because the PS socialists, De Wever's political nemesis, lost their generations-long grip on Wallonia. It allowed him to get a deal with a free-market MR party.

In Flanders, the Vooruit socialist party will have to make sure the cornerstones of Belgium's welfare society survive. The government program is set to cut social benefits in an attempt to tackle the nation’s debt-burdened budget. Overall, the nation has debt totaling just over 100% of GDP, putting it among the worst in the 27-nation EU.

With Vooruit on board, the francophone MR liberals, the centrist CD&V and Engages and the N-VA complete the coalition, controlling 81 of 150 seats in the House for a comfortable majority.

The length of coalition talks highlighted however how difficult it was to bridge fundamental gaps between the different parties.

Belgium's new Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden, rear, walks down the steps to join a group photo after a swearing in ceremony for the new government in front of Belgium's King Philippe at the Royal Palace in Brussels, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

New Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, left, raises his hand to take an oath during a swearing in ceremony for the new government in front of Belgium's King Philippe at the Royal Palace in Brussels, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Belgium's King Philippe, center front, and new Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, front center left, pose with ministers for a group photo after a swearing in ceremony for the new government at the Royal Palace in Brussels, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

New Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, center front, stands with other mininster prior to a group photo after a swearing in ceremony for the new government in front of Belgium's King Philippe at the Royal Palace in Brussels, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Belgium's King Philippe, center, shakes hands with Belgium's new Interior Minister Bernard Quintin during a swearing in ceremony for the new government at the Royal Palace in Brussels, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Belgium's King Philippe, center front, and new Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, front center left, pose with ministers after a swearing in ceremony for the new government at the Royal Palace in Brussels, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Government ministers stand in a line prior to a swearing in ceremony for the new Belgian government in front of Belgium's King Philippe at the Royal Palace in Brussels, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Belgium's King Philippe, center front, and new Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, front center left, walk with ministers after a swearing in ceremony for the new government at the Royal Palace in Brussels, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

New Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, left, walks with Belgium's King Philippe, center, during a swearing in ceremony for the new government at the Royal Palace in Brussels, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

New Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, left, raises his hand to take an oath during a swearing in ceremony for the new government in front of Belgium's King Philippe at the Royal Palace in Brussels, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Belgium's King Philippe, center front, and new Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, front center left, pose with ministers after a swearing in ceremony for the new government at the Royal Palace in Brussels, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

NEW YORK (AP) — Jasson Domínguez is headed to the injured list yet again after spraining a shoulder when he crashed into Yankee Stadium's outfield wall, opening a path for heralded prospect Spencer Jones to make his major league debut.

Domínguez was hurt eight pitches into Thursday's 9-2 win over Texas as he caught a leadoff drive to left by Brandon Nimmo. Domínguez's MRI revealed a low grade AC sprain of his left shoulder, and initial concussion tests were negative.

“That'll put him on the IL, and that could be a few weeks,” New York manager Aaron Boone said.

New York selected the contract of Jones from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday, when it placed Domínguez on the 10-day injured list.

A 6-foot-7 outfielder, Jones was selected by the Yankees 25th in the 2022 amateur draft.

“It's a large man that hits the ball very far,” Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger said.

Jones, 24, leads the minor leagues with 41 RBIs, batting .258 with 11 homers, 18 walks and 41 strikeouts for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

“He's put himself in the mix,” Boone said. “The signs have been encouraging.”

Jones was hitting .195 with two homers, 10 RBIs and 21 strikeouts in 41 at-bats through April 10, but is batting .291 with nine homers, 31 RBIs and 25 strikeouts in 79 at-bats since.

“Got off to an OK start, but then hit a little snag there for about a week or so,” Boone said. ""The last three, four weeks been having a lot of consistent at-bats, the power's been there, less swing and miss."

Domínguez, 23, made a sensational debut in September 2023, hitting .258 with four homers and seven RBIs in eight games before a scan revealed a torn right UCL.

His 2024 was slowed by a strained right oblique sustained on a swing, then he struggled offensively and defensively with the Yankees last year and started this season at Scranton. He was brought up April 27 after Giancarlo Stanton strained a calf muscle.

Playing outfield for the Yankees for the second time this season after seven games as a designated hitter, Domínguez ran 81 feet to catch Nimmo's 101 mph shot. He gloved the ball 375 feet from the plate as his shoulder hit hard against a video advertising board.

Domínguez's sunglasses flew off as he fell to the warning track chest first, prompting center fielder Trent Grisham to come over as Boone jogged out to check on Domínguez along with head athletic trainer Tim Lentych, assistant athletic trainer Jimmy Downam and director of sports medicine and rehabilitation Michael Schuk.

“He seemed decent when we got out there and coherent and all that,” Boone said.

Domínguez cupped his head in his glove and sat up after about a minute. He pointed to his shoulder and craned his neck as he was being examined, then walked to a cart under his own power and was seated as the cart drove away.

“Gosh, he’s just such a good kid,” Boone said. “There’s a joy he kind of walks to every day no matter what’s going on. He’s very consistent in who he is. They love him in there. We’ve talked a lot recently about just how well he’s handled his situation here over the last four and five months.”

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New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, right, watches as trainers and paramedics check on left fielder Jasson Domínguez after he was injured during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers Thursday, May 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Jasson Domínguez is injured while catching a ball hit by Texas Rangers' Brandon Nimmo for an out during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Jasson Domínguez is injured while catching a ball hit by Texas Rangers' Brandon Nimmo for an out during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Jasson Domínguez is injured while catching a ball hit by Texas Rangers' Brandon Nimmo for an out during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Jasson Domínguez is carted off the field after an injury during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers Thursday, May 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)