BRUSSELS – Efforts to form a new Brussels Government remain at a standstill after seven political parties failed to reach an agreement during a meeting on Monday evening.
Convened by informators Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) and Christophe De Beukelaer (Les Engagés), the negotiations ended without consensus, prompting another meeting scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
The parties involved – MR, PS, Les Engagés, Groen, Open VLD, and CD&V – convened to explore possible coalition negotiations.
However, disagreements, particularly among the Francophone and Dutch-speaking liberal parties MR and Open VLD, proved obstructive. According to Van den Brandt and De Beukelaer, a coalition excluding the Flemish right-wing N-VA was the only viable option for stability.
Liberal Opposition to Coalition Plan
Open VLD negotiator Frédéric De Gucht maintained that N-VA’s inclusion in the Brussels Government was necessary, citing the need for cooperation with the Flemish and Federal Governments, both of which are led by N-VA.
Adding to the tension, MR leader Georges-Louis Bouchez, who arrived late to the meeting, criticized the impasse. “The Dutch-speaking parties have a coalition. Anyone who questions that creates problems,” he said.
Bouchez also noted the informators’ plan involved creating an additional state secretary position for CD&V, suggesting that PS and CD&V should consider alternative solutions.
Meanwhile, federal CD&V leader Sammy Mahdi reiterated that his party would not join the Brussels Government without securing a government position.
“You have to have a government position. If the intention is to push a button for the budget once a year, then you can’t weigh in at all,” Mahdi stated, dismissing the idea of a government commissioner role, which Open VLD had previously accepted in negotiations.
PS Pushes for Swift Resolution
Brussels PS leader Ahmed Laaouej supported the informators’ proposed coalition, arguing that it had the backing of 54 out of 89 Brussels MPs and could be established quickly.
“Five of the seven parties wanted to continue immediately, and only the liberals did not want to,” he asserted.
Laaouej dismissed suggestions that PS, as the second-largest party in the Brussels Parliament, should take the lead in negotiations. “Let us not go there again,” he said, reaffirming PS’s longstanding refusal to govern alongside N-VA.
Following the meeting, Van den Brandt acknowledged the ongoing disagreements but expressed hope for progress.
“There is still no consensus on the next phase. That is why the seven parties have decided to meet again on Wednesday at 12 noon. Groen will participate constructively in that meeting,” she said.
Public Frustration and Protest
As political gridlock persists, public frustration is mounting. On Sunday, March 23, a protest is planned on the steps of the Bourse building in central Brussels.
Protesters will stand in silence from 11:00 to 12:29 – one minute for each of the 89 elected officials who have failed to form a government over the past nine months.
“For 89 minutes: one minute for every elected official who has been abandoning us for nine months now. Angry, but in silence. Our silence as a weapon against the persistent political noise without content,” organizers stated.
With political leaders remaining divided and public discontent growing, the fate of the Brussels Government remains uncertain.
The coming days will prove crucial in determining whether negotiations can break the deadlock or if the region faces prolonged political instability.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
