Six parties invited to Brussels budget talks

After months of stalemate, Brussels politics is moving again. Liberal party MR leader David Leisterh has invited six parties to open negotiations on a multi-year budget for the region.

On the French-speaking side, the invite goes to the liberals (MR), the socialists (PS) and the centrists (Les Engagés). On the Dutch-speaking side, the greens (Groen), the social democrats (Vooruit) and the liberals (Open VLD) are included. Missing from the table are the Flemish Christian democrats (CD&V) and Flemish nationalists (N-VA), as there is not yet a majority among the Dutch-speaking group.

Leisterh argues the priority is financial stability rather than ideology. Brussels must cut 1 billion euros from its deficit by 2029, mainly through structural savings. He insists there will be no new taxes for households or businesses. The region currently faces a shortfall of around 1.5 billion euros, and a credit rating downgrade is looming.

Open VLD’s Brussels leader Frédéric De Gucht, who had long demanded a Dutch-speaking majority including N-VA, has dropped that condition for now. He welcomed MR’s initiative, stressing that his party will only support strict savings and no tax hikes. But he warned Open VLD will not accept governing as part of a Dutch-speaking minority in the long run.

Les Engagés president Yvan Verougstraete called the move “a huge relief” for residents and businesses, while PS MP Ridouane Chahid described the start of budget talks as “an essential step” to tackle Brussels’ urgent challenges.

The six parties should be able to agree a budget in parliament, but a full regional government will still need at least one more Dutch-speaking partner (likely CD&V, N-VA or Team Fouad Ahidar).

^{MR’s David Leisterh © BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND}