After months of negotiation, 4 Dutch-speaking partners have finally managed to agree to form a majority in Brussels, indicates trainer Elke Van Den Brandt (Groen) in a press release. Barely 5 minutes later, David Leisterh (MR), the French-speaking trainer, announced, with regret, that discussions could not start with the French-speakers. All eyes are on the PS.
Definitely. Nothing will be spared in the formation of a Brussels government. Groen, Open Vld, Vooruit and the N-VA have just officially found common ground. They are finally ready to lead negotiations with their French-speaking partners.
Except that this discussion will not take place. At least not right away. David Leisterh, the French-speaking trainer, immediately announced “notice a blockage to switch to a phase of formation with 7 parties. I will continue, in close collaboration with the Dutch-speaking trainer, consultations. I invite all partners to show responsibility in the face of the scale of the political, institutional and budgetary crisis in Brussels.”
A leak that paralyzes the PS
The main cause of this new blockage bears two initials: PS. The socialists have repeatedly indicated their difficulty in having to govern with the N-VA. Ahmed Laaouej, the leader of the PS in Brussels, even sent a virtual veto to the nationalist formation.
Things got even worse after the leak of a “super note” from the Flemish partners. It drew up a more or less detailed list of wishes and reforms. It was mainly a question of institutional demands, with the merger of municipalities, police zones and CPAS.
“Today is a flashback of 20 years. It is the return of the community as a prerequisite. (…) Groen therefore decided to serve the soup at the N-VA“, castigated Ridouane Chahid (PS), federal deputy and outgoing mayor of Evere, in The Last Hour.
This Thursday, after the press release from Elke Van Den Brandt, the mayor of Brussels City, Philippe Close (PS), added a layer: “In Ghent, Groen demonstrates to prevent the N-VA from entering the majority, but in Brussels, it is Groen who brings the N-VA to the negotiations. Like what…” In this super note, there is also the question of freezing the construction of social housing on the Josaphat wasteland, a very sensitive issue for the PS, which was the subject of heated discussions with Groen, under the previous government.
When will this bad game end?
This leak of the supernote certainly does not help the cause of the Dutch-speaking partners. But on the other hand, no one can be surprised. The merger of the municipalities is a long-standing demand of the Dutch-speaking parties in Brussels.
Then this is a starting note. From an entry point to negotiations. By definition, anything there will not be approved.
Finally, French-speaking partners have no right to interfere in the composition of partners from the other linguistic community. The weight of the crisis therefore risks weighing on the PS.
It is time for the PS, the MR, Les Engagés, Groen, the Open Vld, Vooruit and the N-VA to sit around a table and stop this bad circus. Let us remember, once again, that Brussels’ finances are the most deteriorated in the country.
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