For the first time in the Brussels-Capital Region (Editor’s note: after Zelzate in Flanders, Mons in Wallonia and before Molenbeek), the PTB officially gains a municipal majority. The radical left party inherits, via its alderman Simon de Beer, the responsibilities of housing and public cleanliness.
Needless to say, the “radical” side of Raoul Hedebouw’s Marxist party, often expressed in the opposition of various municipal councils, hardly shows up in this agreement. No new tax on large stores or on the broadest shoulders is clearly included. The Forest agreement in fact hardly differs from a classic municipal program of a left-wing majority.
“We must not forget that Forest was already led by a left-wing coalition (Ecolo-PS) under the previous legislature”pointe Charles Spapens.
Mons becomes the first and only Walloon city where the PTB will sit in a majority
Few clear PTB markers
What are, basically, the major markers claimed by the PTB in this agreement?
The majority undertakes in particular to protect the purchasing power of residents by reducing certain charges, such as fees for administrative documents, and plans not to increase taxes which affect households. “It’s not a commitment, but it’s a clear objective“, tempers Simon de Beer (PTB), alderman.
The new majority also wants “continue your fight for free education” by setting up a pilot project for free study, in a local school to begin with, as already exists in Molenbeek.
A measurement could in theory match the PTB line in a chemically pure way. “We want to ultimately put in place a differentiated and progressive PRI (property tax, a regional tax on real estate, Editor’s note), using the regional ordinance which will allow us to move forward in this direction.“, continues Simon de Beer.
Significant downside: this order which, in the spirit of the PTB, would make it possible to make the broadest shoulders contribute more.is blocked in the Brussels government”, as underlined by the spokesperson for Bernard Clerfayt (Défi), Brussels Minister of Local Authorities. “And that will no longer change with the current government, since we are in current affairs.” With the advent of a regional majority MR-PS-Engagés, it is not unreasonable to think that this text will never see the light of day…
Municipalities can in theory already set up a differentiated PRI, but the maneuver is difficult to implement, without entering into conflict with Brussels taxation.
It is especially in housing that the PTB can stand out. The majority aims to open 200 social housing units in the next six years.
The majority agreement, in short, is ambitious and clearly positioned on the left. But the program of those whom the MR qualified “of Stalin’s heirs“does not contain anything revolutionary, or even particularly original…
“We remain a Marxist party”
Would the PTB, by gaining a majority, normalize itself?
“The important thing for us was to come with an ambitious but realistic, concrete program, which takes into account budgetary reality”
“The important thing for us was to come with an ambitious but realistic program, which takes into account budgetary realityassures Giovanni Bordonaro, president of the PTB in the Brussels-Capital Region. We make compromises, but we remain a Marxist party.”
gull“The PTB wanted its Zelzate (Editor’s note: from the name of the only municipality that the PTB led in Flanders with Vooruit) in Brussels, to avoid being told, for 5 years, that voting for us was of no use, because We don’t take our responsibilities.”
The PTB, while it has the reputation of having a very harsh tooth, has been surprisingly constructive in the forest negotiations, even, according to some, very undemanding. “The PTB wanted its Zelzate (Editor’s note: the only municipality that the PTB has led in Flanders with Vooruit) in Brussels, to avoid being told, for 5 years, that voting for him was of no use, because he never takes his responsibilities”points out a well-informed source.
“It’s not a bluff”
“There is a real project here, and it’s not a bluff,” contests Giovanni Bordonaro.
For his part, the mayor Charles Spapens, as a good former collaborator of Charles Picqué, insisted on a few principles supposed to reassure all Forest residents, such as the desire to “maintain budgetary rigor”, but also of “bringing together the top and bottom of Forest.”
While her party negotiates with the PTB, the mayor of Forest announces her departure from Écolo: “I do not find myself in the coalition that is taking shape”
Finally, while the PTB has aroused the distrust of certain socialist representatives by regularly denouncing police violence, the new majority has announced its desire to strengthen community policing and will support the opening of a police station open 24 hours a day.
A question remains. Will this majority be able, without repeated crises, to carry out its government agreement without further worsening the financial situation of the municipality? Charles Spapens and his college are expected around the corner…
