Thanks to the citizens' collective initiative respect.brussels, almost all Brussels political parties will start a new round of formation talks on Sunday and resume negotiations on the formation of a new Brussels regional government, Brussels media outlet BRUZZ reports. It is remarkable that all parties are participating, as this will be the first time since the elections in June 2024 that the Flemish nationalist N-VA and the Francophone socialists of PS will sit down together at the negotiating table.
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Citizens' collective brings all parties together for Brussels government formation talks
Colin Clapson
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According to Frederik Lamote, one of the people behind respect.brussels, there is hope that this initiative could be the starting point for a solution. ‘It is strange that we have to take this initiative, but after 600 days without a government, everything is strange in this city,’ he says. ‘In the capital region, no one can take on the role the king plays in national formation talks, so we – the citizens – are taking the initiative ourselves. (..) We are an apolitical organisation, but we do defend the importance of democracy. Only Brussels counts.’
According to Lamote, respect.brussels does not claim to be able to provide solutions itself. ‘The responsibility for a solution lies with the parties, but the election must result in new policies, not a caretaker administration until 2029."
The parties that will be sitting around the table on Sunday are Francophone liberal MR, PS, Francophone green Ecolo, the Brussels democrats of Défi, Communist PVDA-PTB, Flemish green Groen, minority interest Team Fouad Ahidar, Flemish liberal Anders, N-VA, Flemish socialist Vooruit, and Flemish Christian democrat CD&V. Far right Vlaams Belang and Sonja Hoylaerts were not invited by respect.brussels and are therefore the only Brussels parties and politicians not participating in the talks.