At the top of the party, we reject the terms of a putsch, pointing instead to a decision taken in consultation, which aims to continue the rejuvenation of the cadres launched by Sven Gatz himself, five years ago.
Still, a palace revolution has indeed taken place among the Dutch-speaking liberals in Brussels.
PS, Ecolo and Défi are laying off their staff with all their might: up to 83% of employees affected!
Frédéric De Gucht, on very good terms with national president Eva De Bleeker, took over as president of the regional section of the Open VLD. The loss of a ministerial post hardly weighs on him: he intends to remain CEO of the company he manages. It is through the Brussels negotiations, which he took charge of, that the son of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs intends to exert influence, but also by obtaining for his troops the presidency of Brussels public bodies such as Stib or Finance. . Brussels.
Frédéric De Gucht is now the spearhead of the select committee, made up of Brussels MP Imane Belguenani, former minister Guy Vanhengel, and even Sven Gatz (Editor’s note: who remains influential, but is no longer at the center of the system ), which makes strategic decisions within the Brussels region.
This implies, more than a simple change of person, a strategic evolution within the party, which exerts a significant influence on the negotiations to form a Brussels government, completely blocked at the moment. To the logic of “never with the N-VA”, defended by the PS, the Open VLD now opposes that of “never sans the N-VA.”
In Brussels, discussions resume where they left off: “There is no majority for a government with the N-VA”, points out Ahmed Laaouej
The end of the PS/Open VLD friendship
For many years, the former Brussels Minister of Finance, Guy Vanhengel, nevertheless managed the Brussels-Capital Region hand in hand with the PS, maintaining a partnership with Rudi Vervoort. The proximity between the two Everois had even inspired one of his most famous matings in Didier Reynders, estimating in 2012, “that there were three socialist parties in Brussels, the PS, the SP.A (now Vooruit) and the Open VLD.”
Water has flowed under the bridges. The Open VLD lost the June elections. The PS was overtaken in the polls by the MR. The Dutch-speaking liberals have strengthened ties with their French-speaking counterparts, but also made the choice to form an unbreakable axis, at the Brussels level, with the N-VA.
This change of direction was clear and rapid.
At the start of 2023, a power struggle still pitted Els Ampe, who embodied the Brussels right wing of the party, against Sven Gatz, Guy Vanhengel, and Frederik Ceulemans, then described internally as “linksliberalen” (left-wing liberals).
A future alliance between the MR and the Open VLD is taking shape in the Brussels Region, and it makes the majority cringe
Els Ampe, despite his good electoral base, had lost the internal battle and left the party.
Less than two years later, it’s a line dark blue (literally, dark blue) which has paradoxically imposed itself within the party.
“We defend a clearer and more realistic policy, which is linked to the political situation of the moment. It is easier to be left-wing when there is money. But I do not agree with this distinction between links or liberal rechts, it actually depends on the subjects”, Frédéric De Gucht, new leader of the Open VLD in Brussels.
Ironically, this development was actively supported by Guy Vanhengel. The tutelary figure of the Brussels Open VLD has clearly felt the tide turning.
The possibility of a Dutch-speaking majority with the CD&V – and without the N-VA – must be mentioned, among other avenues, in the discussions between negotiators in the coming days. But this option, defended by the PS, is likely to come up against a veto from the Flemish liberals in the capital.
The Open VLD is in fact opposed to the idea, relaunched a few days ago by Ans Persoons, of the creation of a new position of Secretary of State, intended for the CD&V. The Flemish liberals, who had in fact already blocked this option several weeks ago, are sticking to the agreement between Dutch-speaking parties (Groen, N-VA, Vooruit, Open VLD).
Frédéric De Gucht has already estimated previously in The Free that Brussels had “need the N-VA’s links with the federal government and with the Flemish government”.
Frédéric De Gucht (Open VLD): “If we do not take budgetary measures very quickly, Brussels risks finding itself under federal supervision”
The CD&V and the diktat of the PS
“I’m not sure that offering them a position in the government would be enough to bring the CD&V back to the negotiating table. It would really make ‘I just wanted a position and I’m even ready to dump my Flemish partner N-VA to follow the diktat of the PS'”points out a source at Les Engagés.
However, this avenue does not seem any more random than seeing the PS renounce its veto against the N-VA. Or to see Écolo and Défi agree to replace the PS in the majority.
“The problem with the current blockage is that every avenue seems improbable…” concludes this source from the Engagés.
