Brussels government talks restart after 400-day deadlock
After over a year of political deadlock, six parties will resume negotiations on Monday to form a Brussels regional government: MR, PS, Les Engagés, Groen, Open VLD and Vooruit.
The breakthrough came after liberal party MR agreed to relinquish one of its government posts, a state secretary, to an independent civil society figure, unaffiliated with any party. This move aims to secure broader political backing, especially from Dutch-speaking parties.
The MR’s proposal has unlocked stalled negotiations with the socialist party PS and other partners. It particularly seeks to appease the Flemish nationalist N-VA, which remains excluded from the coalition but may support the government on key votes in exchange for indirect influence.
The future state secretary is expected to be a French-speaker “compatible” with N-VA positions. Open VLD figure Frédéric De Gucht, who had long insisted on including N-VA in the coalition, has already signalled his approval.
The coalition would control a majority in the Brussels Parliament overall and within the French-language group, but not among Dutch-speaking members.
Negotiators hope to conclude a deal by September. Brussels has been without a functioning government since the 2024 regional elections. Political tensions, particularly over the PS’s refusal to work with the N-VA, have hampered earlier coalition efforts.
Brussels region flag © BELGA PHOTO HATIM KAGHAT
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