What can you really do in four years?

Let’s talk about government. Not politics. Not parties. Just… structure.

Specifically: terms. Government terms.

Belgium, as you probably know, doesn’t make it easy. We famously hold the record for the longest time it took to form a government, and I think we’ve even come close to breaking our own record more than once.

But let’s set that chaos aside for a second. Let’s assume - generously - that everything does go according to plan. A government forms. And now, you’ve got four years.

What can you actually do in four years?

Think about it.

Year One

It starts with vision. You’ve got to figure out your direction, outline your priorities, and try to build some momentum. But vision alone doesn’t change anything. It’s talking, aligning, planning. A lot of setup.

Year Two

Now you begin. You start putting things in motion. Maybe a few early wins. Maybe not. You’re still untangling old messes, still building buy-in, still testing the waters. Time’s moving quickly.

Year Three

Finally, you’re getting traction. The wheels are turning. The ideas are rolling into actual programs. But then... it starts. The next election looms. People start calculating. Will you still be around next year? Should anyone commit to long-term plans that might not outlive your term?

Year Four

Now it’s campaign season. You’re either protecting what you’ve done, or defending what you haven’t. The momentum slows, or worse, it stops. Why start something bold now, when it might get reversed in a few months?

And then… reset. Back to negotiations. Back to building a new coalition. Back to the start.

I don’t have a conclusion here. I’m not proposing an overhaul. But I do wonder: is four years really enough?

When you factor in the time it takes to form the government, set up your vision, and get things off the ground ... how much of that time is actually spent making impact?

It feels like the structure itself might be built for starting things, but not necessarily for finishing them. And maybe that’s the bigger conversation. Not just about who governs, or how. But whether the system gives anyone enough time to do the work that truly matters.