Outgoing Brussels government approves provisional budget

The outgoing Brussels government has adopted a provisional budget for the first quarter of 2025 due to the region's pressing financial situation.

Known as the "provisional twelfths" budget, the strategy allows the government to spend only one twelfth of its total expenditure for 2024 plus indexation each month. This means it can continue to meet essential costs such as wages or paying bills, despite political constraints.

"While we are waiting for a new government, we have to limit the spending of the Brussels region to what is strictly necessary"

Outgoing budget minister Sven Gatz said Brussels needs to limit its spending as much as possible until a new government is formed that can approve a full budget for 2025.

"While we are waiting for a new government, we have to limit the spending of the Brussels region to what is strictly necessary," Gatz said. "I hope that a new government will be formed quickly and that it will be able to draw up the multiannual budget for the next legislature. The financial situation of the Brussels Region needs this".

Negotiations at a standstill

As it stands, there is no budget for the coming year, which means that provisional credits are necessary to ensure the continuity of public services. The draft decree approved by the government on Thursday has made this possible. 

Meanwhile, negotiations to form a new government in Brussels are still at a standstill. Four Dutch-speaking parties have formed a coalition that is ready to start negotiations with French-speaking partners, they announced on Thursday. But according to the French-speaking PS party, the parties' negotiating proposal does not comply with Brussels legislation.

^{Sven Gatz, minister for Finance and Budget of the Brussels Region © BELGA PHOTO BENOIT DOPPAGNE}