Brussels is today the metaphor of Belgium whose rights of Dutch speakers are the sacred cow which cannot be sacrificed by French speakers. Funny or tragic story?
David Leisterh, Christophe De Beukelaer and Ahmed Laaouej. C Belga Image
The capital region is plunged into a deep impasse. The union of liberals and committed people, but also of socialists who remain in charge unlike what is happening in Wallonia where they are swept away, is not subject to any discussion. The alliance of blues and reds, with the support of the former CDH, is excellent. Thanks to the composure of David Leisterh, despite the kicks of his party president Bouchez, to the common sense of Amedh Laaouej, with the prudence of Christophe De Beukelaer, the French speakers are in working order.
Electoral cards
But the elections redistributed the electoral cards in a surprising, not to say surreal, way on the Dutch-speaking side. Two Dutch-speaking parties captured a French-speaking electorate who did their “electoral shopping” ideologically, by dismissing their linguistic affiliation: Groen in the lead as well as the new party of Fouad Ahidar (formerly Vooruit). The Dutch speakers are unable to achieve an essential majority among their minority. Of the 17 Dutch-speaking deputies, 9 are needed. And the CD&V immediately defected, seizing up the entire mechanism.
The N-VA’s malicious offer
Colin Maillard’s game has continued since the elections, this time with a mischievous offer from the N-VA which offers itself as a firefighter on condition of having a minister (“these are the rules of the game”) accompanied by a guarantee of respect the autonomy of the Brussels region (this is quite new) notably by means of more Dutch in schools. Either. Nothing about Good Move and the ecological measures which are questioned by French speakers and annoy Groen who is bracing himself.
“A deep impasse”
“The impasse is deep. The other regions have a system which allows the obstacle to be circumvented via the “separate election of minorities”, a system which has, however, never been used. For Brussels, it is not planned as such, deciphers the constitutionalist Marc Uyttendaele (ULB). This is a flaw in the system that could only be resolved by special legislation passed with a two-thirds majority in a functioning federal government.” Managing to set in motion a state reform to save the Dutch-speaking minority in Brussels is a scenario as surreal as it is (undoubtedly) evil.
“The only way out is to find a political solution: nine Dutch-speaking parliamentarians must come to an agreement. Constitutionalists, as brilliant as they are, cannot tamper with constitutional laws to solve this as it stands.”sighs Marc Uyttendaele. “This situation is based on two paradoxes. The first is the shift from French-speaking voices to Dutch-speaking ones. The second is based on an electoral threshold set at 5% which causes a split of votes in Brussels on the Flemish lists. The threshold should be raised, among other things,” continues Marc Uyttendaele. In the meantime, there is a functioning parliament which can pass ordinances. The Belgian model has demonstrated that it can work with a resigning government.
