He was seen as part of de jonge rechterzijde (the young right-wing), and was politically a midway between Christian democracy and more traditional forms of conservatism.

Despite the mobilization, de Broqueville opposed King Albert I's proposal to deploy the Belgian Army along the German frontier in 1914 but strategically placed them throughout the country.

During the war, de Broqueville was more willing to make concessions to the Flemish Movement than King Albert, in order to secure Belgian unity in the long term.

He made several promises to the movements after the war, such as the Dutchification of Ghent University and better conditions for the Dutch language in standard education.

De Broqueville fought the King on the neutrality issue and so denied Belgium a full alliance with the Allied forces.