New round of consultations should revive Brussels government negotiations
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Brussels formateur David Leisterh of the Francophone liberals (MR) is launching a new round of bilateral talks with Brussels political parties in an attempt to break the deadlock in the Brussels government formation. He hopes to draw conclusions within two weeks.
Except for Vlaams Belang, PTB/PVDA and Team Fouad Ahidar, all Brussels parties may again join formateur David Leisterh at the negotiating table. Although a coalition between Groen, Vooruit, Open VLD and N-VA is already in place on the Dutch-speaking side, CD&V is also allowed to join in the discussions.
The Brussels parties all point to someone else as the culprit for the ongoing crisis in the government formation. Shortly after the June elections, several parties imposed vetoes: MR, Open VLD and Les Engagés versus PTB/PVDA and Team Fouad Ahidar; PS versus N-VA - while Ecolo and DéFI, which do not want to join a majority as a result of their electoral defeat, also have objections.
“I have read the craziest statements in recent weeks, and not seen a single step forward”
In December, Groen, Vooruit, Open VLD and N-VA reached an agreement on the Dutch-speaking side. But this led to the collapse of the French-speaking coalition of MR, Les Engagés and PS. Because the Brussels PS vetoed the N-VA's participation in a future government, as the socialist party feels the N-VA would push the government to the right while the Brussels parliament is mainly left-wing.
Dutch-speaking formateur Elke Van den Brandt of the Flemish Greens (Groen) finds it positive that her French-speaking colleague is organising this bilateral round of talks. “I have read the craziest statements in recent weeks, and not seen a single step forward,” she said. “Too much water has already flowed through the Senne while ukazes fly back and forth. I hope that the partners one-on-one with the formateur do not just dig their heels in, but finally abandon their vetoes.” Van den Brandt stressed that her party is the only one that “never formulated a veto, explicitly or implicitly”.
"I hope that the partners one-on-one with the formateur do not just dig their heels in, but finally abandon their vetoes”
Apart from the Brussels-Capital Region’s increasingly deteriorating financial and budgetary situation, the series of drug-related shootings in Brussels in the last 48 hours is putting extra pressure on the Brussels political parties.
Brussels formateur David Leisterh © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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