Brussels formator on the Dutch-speaking side Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) is demanding that the French-speaking parties withdraw their proposal to postpone the Low Emission Zone – making the LEZ a make-or-break issue for the government negotiations.
The French-speaking coalition partners in Brussels (liberal MR, socialist PS and centrist Les Engagés) jointly put a proposal to the Brussels Parliament to postpone tightening the LEZ for two years, pushing back the stricter engine requirements from 1 January 2025 to 1 January 2027.
But as they launched the proposal without consultation, Van den Brandt – who is trying to find a majority on the Dutch-speaking side in Brussels – spoke of a "bombshell" dropped on the formation negotiations and a "deep breach of trust".
To proceed with negotiations, she has first sought guarantees that the French-speaking majority will not disregard Groen's priorities for the rest of the legislature. A week later, however, Van den Brandt has yet to receive any such assurances, leading her to fear that her French-speaking coalition partners fail to appreciate how serious an issue this is. Her patience is running out.
Stabbed in the back
"The LEZ has become the centre of a painful political game. Three French-speaking parties have gone behind our backs and decided to postpone it at the same time that daily talks were taking place with Groen to form a government," Van den Brandt said in a video posted on social media. "That has caused a deep breach of trust. It feels like a stab in the back."
She is therefore demanding that the Francophone parties withdraw the proposal, calling it an "essential signal" and a "necessity to negotiate further". If they let this pass, Groen is concerned it only face more difficulties over the next five years on dossiers that are important to the party and Dutch speakers in Brussels.
"Groen wants to fight for a liveable city and negotiate for a new government. But we also want to be taken seriously," Van den Brandt said. "A strong signal is needed, which is why we explicitly ask not to submit the proposal and to come to a real, negotiated compromise that takes into account the concerns of all parties around the table. That is the only way to govern Brussels."
De lage-emissiezone in Brussel is de inzet geworden van een pijnlijk politiek spel. Drie Franstalige partijen hebben achter onze rug besloten de invoering uit te stellen. Dat heeft voor een diepe vertrouwensbreuk gezorgd. Het voelt als een mes in de rug. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/FHV1N3QkpZ
— Elke Van den Brandt (@elkevdbrandt) September 12, 2024
Delaying the next phase of the LEZ (which would ban Euro 5 diesel vehicles) is not on the table, she stressed. However she conceded that other aspects of the measure could be discussed. "Clean air and our children's lungs are non-negotiable. But we can look at temporarily freezing fines. We should also determine together how to help vulnerable groups even better."
Yet it was the way that the Francophone parties launched their proposal that caused greatest offence. Van den Brandt called the proposal "very shaky" given that additional emission rights must be paid for (under EU stipulations). Not tightening the rules would therefore come at a high cost. It would also be legally challenged, she said, as it would backtrack on agreements made eight years ago.
"We owe it to the people of Brussels to have policies that are legally and politically stable. Citizens must have legal certainty. That is why I want to come up with a negotiated compromise that is legally and politically conclusive."
A sign that signals the end of the LEZ. Credit: Belga/Nicolas Maeterlinck
Meanwhile, Van den Brandt still needs to form a Dutch-speaking coalition. The combination of Groen, socialist Vooruit and liberal Open VLD falls one seat short of a majority, which led the parties to consider bringing the Christian Democrats CD&V on board. But with only three ministerial positions to share between four parties, CD&V were unwilling to lend their seats for no ministerial gain.
As an alternative, the rightwing N-VA is now being eyed up as a fourth partner. The party's Brussels leader Cieltje Van Achter has made it clear that she is willing to negotiate as soon as possible, even if the political gap with Groen might be tough. "For me, the water does not feel so deep. It is difficult for everyone at the table. We just have to make the decisions."
For N-VA, the Brussels Government especially needs thorough reforms, Van Achter said on Flemish radio. "The budget must be put in order, bilingualism must be worked on, institutional reforms are needed around security and cleanliness: today, it is everyone's competency, but no one's responsibility."
