Is there finally a breakthrough in the search for a new Brussels regional government following the 9 June 2024 elections after the impasse that has now lasted 600 days? The first signs are positive. None of the seven parties invited by Francophone liberal leader Georges-Louis Bouchez (MR - pictured on the left) to start formation talks in Brussels have immediately rejected the invitation.
Bouchez told news folk on Sunday that his MR party, the largest in Brussels, had ‘defined the only truly possible majority in Brussels’ in the course of informal talks. On the French-speaking side, that majority consists of his own liberal MR, centrist Les Engagés and socialist PS. On the Dutch-speaking side, it consists of Christian democrat CD&V, socialist Vooruit, ecologist Groen and liberal Anders.
CD&V, Les Engagés and Groen have already announced that they are willing to negotiate. Other parties are taking a more wait and see approach and say that they first want to consult internally.
‘The big question is whether Anders is willing to drop (Flemish nationalist) N-VA.’
‘It remains to be seen whether this is finally a breakthrough after more than 600 days,’ says VRT News political editor Benedikte Coussement.
Bouchez wants seven parties at the table. In a message on X, he refers to a ‘conclave’: negotiating until an agreement is reached. He believes in a ‘quick’ formation of a new Brussels regional government.
‘These seven parties have a majority in both the language groups, among Flemish and Francophone members of the Brussels regional parliament. That was not always the case in previous attempts to form a government,’ says Coussement, seeing a ray of hope.
‘Flemish liberal Anders and its leader Frederic De Gucht have always said that they are not willing to drop Flemish nationalist N-VA. The big question is whether the party will do so now. And what it will get in return. Bouchez wants to achieve a balanced budget by 2029. That was one of Anders's demands. But it will not be easy, because the financial situation in the Brussels Region is very unsound'.
On Sunday Flemish liberal leader Frederic De Gucht (Anders) announced he was calling high-level talks between all the Brussels branches of his party. ‘The urgent need to put Brussels' affairs in order is abundantly clear,’ he writes on X.