Majorities in the Brussels Region are negotiated separately in each linguistic role, before Dutch speakers and French speakers come together to form a majority together.
On the French-speaking side, negotiations have only just begun, this Tuesday, between the MR and the Engagés.
On the Dutch-speaking side, on the other hand, an important step has just been taken. Trainer Elke Van den Brandt (Groen), leader of the environmentalists, is calling for a coalition to be formed between four parties, with the Open VLD, Vooruit and the CD&V.
“We have listened to all parties and their wishes in recent weeks. In doing so, the N-VA, Open VLD and Vooruit have indicated that it is not possible for them to work together with the Fouad Ahidar team, which makes a three-party coalition impossible.”she said in a press release. “I will invite Open VLD, Vooruit and CD&V for further discussions”she said.
This is the only possible coalition, without involving Team Fouad Ahidar and the N-VA, who would therefore see themselves returned to the opposition.
Groen, who came first on the Dutch-speaking side, thus acknowledges the failure of negotiations with Team Fouad Ahidar. The list, named after former Vooruit MP Fouad Ahidar, surprised everyone by winning three seats and becoming the second Dutch-speaking political party in Brussels.
The exclusive bet by Sven Gatz and the Open VLD on Team Ahidar, due to the campaign considered communitarian that he led, and the very weak desire of Vooruit to govern with his former elected official, condemned Fouad’s chances Ahidar. His radical opposition to Good Move, the plan supported by Elke Van den Brandt, did not work in his favor either.
The N-VA, the party of Cieltje Van Achter, for its part failed to make itself unavoidable by winning only two seats. Groen therefore decided, unsurprisingly, to do without them.
Groen preferred to choose CD&V, which will have several consequences.
The first is mathematical: the Dutch-speaking majority will only hold one seat (9 seats out of 17). Groen won 4, the Open VLD and Vooruit 2 each, and one for the CD&V.
How to convince the CD&V?
The second will require negotiating towards a solution. Because there will be four parties but only three positions of minister or Secretary of State for the Dutch-speaking parties within the next coalition. “Of course, we are looking for a formula that allows each party to have sufficient weight. And knowing that there are only 3 mandates for 4 parties, I am counting on the sense of responsibility of all parties”points out Elke Van den Brandt, who nevertheless considers it possible to reach an agreement, based on points in common between the parties, such as “the ambition to bring order to Brussels, both in terms of budget and simplification of institutions or investment “in affordable housing and continuing to improve the quality of life in all districts of Brussels.”
However, the solution is currently far from being found. The whole challenge will be, as in the endless federal negotiations of 2019, to convince the CD&V. According to our information, the CD&V demanded to obtain a ministerial post from the French-speaking quota (Editor’s note: French-speaking and Dutch-speaking people each have three positions, not counting the French-speaking Minister President). Which the MR refused, unsurprisingly.
The MR, which won the Brussels elections, has ruled out increasing the number of ministers and there is no question of calling into question the linguistic balance.
The question then arises: how can we convince CD&V MP Benjamin Dalle to join the majority without giving him a ministerial post?
”The College of the VGC (Dutch-speaking Brussels parliament) has always maintained good relations with Benjamin Dalle, who leads the negotiations for CD&V, which makes us optimistic about the constructive development of the discussions”, declared Elke Van den Brandt who, with this press release, is in reality putting pressure on Sammy Mahdi’s party.
Several avenues have already been mentioned within the parties: allowing it, for example, to include CD&V demands in the government agreement, particularly on the use of Dutch in the administration, or granting Benjamin Dalle, as compensation , the presidency of the VGC (Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie – VGC) or the vice-presidency of the Brussels Parliament.
For now, the CD&V is threatening not to join this Brussels government. However, there are not many alternatives. Team Ahidar has been out of the game, Vlaams Belang is not among the possibilities, and the N-VA would probably be even more greedy than the CD&V, not to mention their difficult compatibility with Groen.
The puzzle is far from being resolved.
