Brussels coalition talks resume as seven parties seek breakthrough

More than 610 days after the regional elections, negotiations to form a Brussels government resumed late Tuesday morning at the University Foundation in Brussels. With a majority on both the Dutch-speaking and French-speaking sides, the parties hope that an agreement will be reached soon.

With MR, PS and Les Engagés on the French-speaking side, and Groen, Anders, Vooruit and CD&V on the Dutch-speaking side, talks on forming a government in Brussels began on Tuesday morning. Due to the Region's precarious financial situation, achieving a balanced budget by 2029 is a central objective of the negotiations.

Until now, government formation had been deadlocked because the Flemish liberal party, Anders, had been unwilling to negotiate without the right-wing N-VA. However, the socialist PS refused to enter a government with the Flemish conservatives.

Formateur and MR chair Georges-Louis Bouchez managed to convince Anders to join the talks. Party leader Frédéric De Gucht did outline "several conditions" for joining, including a Dutch-speaking majority, a balanced budget in 2029, institutional and administrative reforms and a decisive approach to security.

Brussels government formation: Anders willing to negotiate without N-VA

The Flemish liberals of Anders are willing to accept MR leader Georges-Louis Bouchez's invitation to start government negotiations in Brussels...

belganewsagency.eu

Reigning in debt

Groen co-chair Elke Van den Brandt welcomed the renewed focus on substance. "It is not the first time I thought it would work, but this time I am convinced it will. We have no choice," she said ahead of the talks. Groen suggested a coalition without N-VA last year, which was shut down.

Before the talks began on Tuesday, Brussels PS leader Ahmed Laaouej endorsed the target of a balanced budget by 2029. He called the party's previous proposal, balancing the budget within 10 years, "outdated". Les Engagés leader and former formateur Yvan Verougstraete, meanwhile, urged a quick agreement. "Two and a half months of inaction means an additional 250 million euros in debt," he warned.

Delegation leaders are expected to remain at the University Foundation overnight. Several participants did not rule out an agreement before the end of the week.

^{Formateur Georges-Louis Bouchez. © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS}

Related news

Budget minister: Brussels has averted imminent shutdown

Brussels has averted an imminent shutdown, Budget minister Dirk De Smedt said in an interview with De Standaard and Le Soir.

belganewsagency.eu