The Brussels formateurs, David Leisterh (Francophone liberals/MR) on the French-speaking side and Elke Van den Brandt (Flemish green/Groen) on the Dutch-speaking side, yesterday brought a number of parties together for a first time since the election to prepare the budget for the Brussels region. On the Dutch-speaking side an absent fourth party is still needed to achieve a majority: ‘We are going to take our time while we look for a 4th party,’ Francophone formateur David Leisterh explained.
In Brussels the largest Francophone and Flemish party supplies a formateur, who first looks for a majority in their language group before all parties sit together to form the Brussels regional government. This year there have been problems on the Flemish side. There’s a liberal veto against Team Fouad Ahidar and by law an insufficient number of government posts to satisfy Christian democrat ambitions. Meanwhile the time is pressing.
On the French-speaking side, Francophone liberal David Leisterh managed to get the Francophone liberals of MR, Christian democrats of Les Engagés and socialists of PS around the table. On the Dutch-speaking side, the puzzle has not yet been solved and four parties may be needed.
Yesterday was the first meeting with the parties willing to enter a Brussels government. These are the 3 French-speaking partners (MR, Les Engagés and PS) and the Dutch-speaking parties currently willing to join in: ecologist Groen, liberal Open VLD and socialist Vooruit, Mr Leisterh explained in the media.
One Dutch-speaking party is still missing to start real government negotiations.
‘We are trying to be as creative as possible. We are not going to create an additional ministerial post. We succeeded in bringing the French-speaking and Dutch-speaking parties together for the first time last night,’ Leisterh told newsmen. Although he realises that it will not be easy, at the table he mostly sees people who ‘want to work’.
The next step is an analysis of the budget involving the parties at the table. ‘Brussels' budget is one of the most complicated in the country. That analysis will not be rushed’ the Francophone formateur noted. ‘We are going to take our time,’ he said. ’But at the same time, together with Elke Van den Brandt, we are going to look for a 4th (Flemish) partner to have a majority in the (Brussels regional) parliament.’
Time is pressing
Ms Van den Brandt speaks of a door being ajar. ‘Every government coalition agreement starts with the budget, especially in Brussels. That is the most urgent thing, so that you are ready for the next working year. Meanwhile, the door is open for an additional party. Will it be the Christian democrat CD&V or another party? Those talks are ongoing.’
Quizzed on possible other options Van den Brandt spoke of Team Fouad Ahidar, a breakaway from socialist Vooruit that surprised many with its good performance in the election and the Flemish nationalist party, the N-VA.’ Ms Van den Brandt clarified: ‘There has to be a solution. The option of involving Team Fouad Ahidar is not viable at the moment, because there is a lot of resistance, but in politics, you have to talk to everyone.’
Mobility is a hurdle
One of the discussion points in Brussels is mobility. In recent years, a circulation plan called Good Move was put in place. Mr Leisterh’s liberals of MR want to take a different direction.
‘There are alternatives to make the traffic run more smoothly. That’s the plan we proposed at the elections and we were rewarded for it,’ Mr Leisterh says.
Current low-emission zone plans would ban certain cars from 2025. The MR thinks 2025 is too soon.