Facilitator provides memorandum as new basis Brussels government negotiations
Yvan Verougstraete, the current ‘facilitator’ in the Brussels government formation, has prepared a memorandum that could serve as a new basis for negotiations. The leader of French-speaking centrist party Les Engagés also wants to have a budgetary framework ready by the end of the week. He is aiming for a balanced budget in 2032.
About two weeks ago, Verougstraete was appointed “facilitator” and took up the challenge to unblock the formation of a new Brussels regional government. Despite many attempts to form one since the June 2024 elections, Brussels has been without a new government for almost 15 months. After talks with the diverse Brussels parties, with the exception of Team Fouad Ahidar and Vlaams Belang, Verougstraete has drawn up a 17-page memorandum.
“This document is not a final agreement, but a basis for discussion to form a government,” he said on Monday on the Brussels channel BX1. “It must be accompanied by thorough research and calculations. The ideas must be able to stand up to the test of budgetary reality.”
The facilitator is counting on a balance by 2032, within seven years. This is no coincidence, as it falls between the five years proposed by the liberals of MR and the ten years targeted by the socialists of PS – the two largest French-speaking parties.
“The aim is to enable the future formateur to play his cards"
By the end of the week, Verougstraete also wants to have an Excel list of budgetary measures and their costs from which potential partners can choose to get the budget in order. “The aim is to enable the future formateur to play his cards. If everything is sufficiently prepared, we will pass on the baton.”
Reactions Groen and Open VLD
For the Dutch-speaking Greens of Groen, the memorandum can serve as a basis for negotiations. “We support Yvan Verougstraete in his further proposals,” added the spokesperson of Groen’s Brussels leader Elke Van den Brandt.
The negotiator of the Flemish liberals of Open VLD, Frédéric De Gucht, said on X that for him, only one memorandum counts: the future formateur's memorandum. “As announced, we have long been prepared to discuss not only the content but also the budget table and the roadmap,” he added. “It is time for everyone to put their cards on the table: how seriously are they taking the budgetary exercise?”
Yvan Verougstraete of French-speaking centrist party Les Engagés © BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND
Related news
