Georges-Louis Bouchez wants to resume Brussels government talks next week
Despite David Leisterh stepping down as formateur in Brussels, Georges-Louis Bouchez wants to resume negotiations next week. The MR leader hopes to have a government in place by early next year, he told VRT on Wednesday. He did not comment on who will become the next formateur.
Over 500 days have passed since the elections, and Brussels is still no closer to forming a government. On Tuesday, Leisterh stepped down as formateur, announcing his departure from regional and national politics in the process. In a video message, he said he could see no point in negotiating further, as the other parties were refusing to make concessions.
Bouchez has now - at least unofficially - taken up the role of formateur. This was confirmed by party colleague David Clarinval. "I hope we can move forward (...) in a constructive atmosphere," he told RTL.
And Bouchez is not planning to change course, he told VRT on Wednesday: "We are not going to radically change what is on the table. What Leisterh proposed was the right way. Adjustments are possible, but there will be no major changes."
In recent weeks, six parties have been negotiating in Brussels: Groen, Open VLD, Vooruit, MR, PS and Les Engagés. They have been trying to reach an agreement on a budget of around 1 billion euros.
According to PS leader Martin Casier, the parties agree on 85 per cent of what has been discussed. But the socialist leader questioned if Bouchez is the right person to lead further negotiations.
"He has declared himself as formateur," Casier told Radio 1 on Wednesday. "But we have our doubts about his abilities to find balances and about his method, as we often see him swearing and going on the attack."
"You can't really call Bouchez the most unifying figure"
According to a source from a different party, the past two weeks have been difficult because both PS and MR have refused to make concessions. The source also told VRT that Bouchez taking up the role of formateur would not help matters: "You can't really call Bouchez the most unifying figure."
Still, Bouchez seems determined to forge ahead. He told the public broadcaster he will spend the next few days working with experts on "budgetary and financial challenges" before holding one-on-one meetings by Friday or the weekend. Negotiations with the six parties are expected to resume on Monday.
© BELGA PHOTO NATACHA FREISEN
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