The formation of the Brussels Government has reached an impasse since the francophone Socialist Party (PS) quit negotiations at the start of the month. To break the deadlock, liberals MR and centrists Les Engagés are seeking to get the francophone greens Ecolo on board.
MR and Les Engagés have in the last few days been in contact with Ecolo and regional party DéFI, seeing them as alternative partners in a government deprived of PS' seats. PS has refused to enter into formation talks with rightwing N-VA on the Dutch-speaking side of the table.
DéFI has not yet closed the door on them, provided there are clear guidelines. But Ecolo reaffirmed its intention to be in opposition after its electoral defeat in June. However, Ecolo is mathematically indispensable when trying to form a majority without PS on the French-speaking side.
Of the 89 seats in the Brussels Parliament, 17 are reserved for Dutch-speaking parties while the other 72 go to French-speaking parties. Both language groups need a majority: at least nine seats and at least 37 seats, respectively. On the Dutch-speaking side, a majority coalition has formed comprising Groen, N-VA, Open VLD and Vooruit, to give a total of ten seats.
Meanwhile on the French-speaking side, MR and Les Engagés are left with only 28 seats between them since PS pulled out. This means they need Ecolo's seven and DéFI's six seats to reach a majority. Should both parties agree, they would have a 41-seat coalition.
Four-page appeal
MR's David Leisterh and Les Engagés' Christophe De Beukelaer sent a four-page memo, seen by La Libre, to the Ecolo leaders. The document highlights the common ground that MR and Les Engagés share with the ecologists and also points to concessions they are willing to make to get Ecolo on board.
"Although the MR, Les Engagés and Ecolo have distinct political visions, they share several strategic priorities for the development of Brussels," the memo reads.
The text suggests that preserving green spaces in the Capital Region could be an area of interest for the Greens. In particular, a housing project on the Josaphat site might be reviewed. The former industrial site is today a biodiversity reserve but PS wants to build 509 housing units on it.
Ecolo blocked the project during the previous legislature, but MR and Les Engagés might go as far as to agree to the complete preservation of the site to obtain Ecolo's backing. Similarly, the Wiels marsh in Forest could be preserved and the Meylemeersch (Anderlecht) could be fully classified along with the Donderberg (Laeken). The memo suggests ensuring "a balance between economic development and the opening up of the Senne."
Les Engagés' Christophe De Beukelaer. Credit: Belga/Hatim Kaghat
In recognition of Ecolo's interest in improving air quality, MR and Les Engagés stated that this "must remain an objective of land-use (green spaces) and mobility policies." Together with PS, the two parties postponed tightening the Low Emission Zone by two years. They offered Ecolo assurances that the LEZ will not be scrapped entirely.
Also proposed are changes that would "simplify the institutional landscape", in particular by streamlining administrations and ensuring the political neutrality of civil servants. Additionally, they propose strengthening "good governance through decumulation" and by "reducing the number of parliamentarians, popular consultations and voluntary mergers of municipalities."
Previously, the Brussels PS recently tried to reverse the decumulation decree, unsuccessfully.
What about Good Move?
MR and Les Engagés have made clear their views on issues of mobility. These have contrasted sharply with Ecolo's position in recent years. The memo states that "the problematic elements of the Good Move mobility plan will be removed" but acknowledges "all the work that has been done", saying it would not be reversed.
"The government, building on the work done over the years, will draw up a new mobility plan," the note reads. In particular, "public transport will be bolstered, as will the metro project, for which creative solutions will be developed." Referring to the kilometre-based tax (SmartMove), MR and Les Engagés stated that "a system of car taxation based on use that takes account of the specific characteristics of the three regions will be considered."
The memo also pledges support for the economic policy pursued by Brussels State Secretary Barbara Trachte (Ecolo). "The ecological transition of Brussels‘ economic fabric will be pursued, by supporting the development of a circular economy."
MR and Les Engagés are reportedly also prepared to review the situation in Schaerbeek (where the formation of a municipal council is blocked), opening up the possibility of an MR-Les Engagés-Ecolo-DéFI coalition. This could even see Ecolo's Vincent Vanhalewyn put forward as mayor. But the Schaerbeek options did not feature in the memo.
