A leading figure in the Francophone centrist party Les Engagés in Brussels Christophe De Beukelaer has announced that he is to quit politics before the end of the year. In an interview with the Brussels regional news platform Bruzz, a disillusioned Mr De Beukelaar said that “I like to look far ahead and prepare society for the future, but that is impossible in politics.”
Mr De Beukelaar’s decision has come amid deep frustration about political deadlock in the Brussels-Capital Region. More than 460 days since last June’s election there is still no new regional coalition government in Brussels. Mr De Beukelaar briefly served with the Flemish Green politician Elke Van den Brandt as co-mediator during one of the many as yet unsuccessful efforts to break the deadlock. He told Bruzz that “The coalition formation saga influenced my decision because it exposed all the problems that exist in politics”.
However, Mr De Beukelaer added that he would not “abandon a ship while it is sinking” and would remain in his post until either a new regional government is formed or a budget for next year is adopted.
Meanwhile, there is still no light at the end of the Brussels regional coalition formation tunnel. On Monday, the Flemish liberal negotiator Frédéric De Gucht invited most (but not all) of the parties represented in the regional parliament for talks. However, several parties such as the Francophone greens and the Francophone centrists have declined the invitation.