Ecolo-Groen's Schaerbeek branch has called on local parties to come together and form a municipal council to urgently break the political deadlock.
The municipal elections took place 25 days ago but no agreement has still been reached in one of Brussels' largest communes.
"It's time to stop the small talk, the personal attacks and the gratuitous insults. It's time to get down to business," Schaerbeek's Ecolo-Groen chapter stated on Wednesday.
Schaerbeek is one of three Brussels municipalities that is yet to form a ruling coalition following the local elections on 13 October. Bitter disagreements have since erupted between political parties, some of it with racialised undertones.
Ecolo-Groen says these disputes are preventing politicians from serving Schaerbeek residents. The party is open to dialogue with partners from all sides of the political spectrum: liberal party Mouvement Réformateur (MR), the Socialist Party (PS), the radical left-wing Belgian Workers Party (PTB-PVDA) and the Liste du Bourgmestre made up of liberals Open VLD, DéFI and independent candidates.
Hasan Koyuncu (PS). Credit: Belga / Thierry Roge
An important element is the fact that popular PS candidate Hasan Koyuncu received accusations from MR politicians over his favouring of Turkish residents rather than the general public. This provoked accusations of racism.
"The diversity of its elected representatives does not make PS a communitarian or client party," said Ecolo-Groen list leader Vincent Vanhalewyn. "[And] I don't believe that the MR is a racist party with no respect for the diversity of the Schaerbeek population."
He added that the both PTB-PVDA and the Liste du Bourgmestre were viable coalition partners despite their respective negative perceptions and electoral difficulties.
'Post-election campaign'
Schaerbeek has experienced a vicious "post-election campaign". Drama first unfolded when PS, who was technically entitled to the mayorship because it won the most seats, was challenged when 1030 Ensemble candidate Sait Köse announced he had defected from his list and joined MR instead.
This gave the liberals one more seat than the socialists, sparking a battle for the title of mayor. Köse has since reversed his decision but tension remains.
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"This is a very arrogant attitude, in denial of the election results," said PS' Brussels leader Ahmed Laaouej when he announced his party's intention to negotiate with PTB-PVDA on Tuesday. "MR doesn't want to understand that PS in Schaerbeek came first with a leader who got the best preference score in the municipality. For us, there is no question of giving up."
In this context, Ecolo-Groen wants all parties to "be able to agree on a common project" and provide an "exemplary, impartial administration at the service of the population without discrimination or clientelism."
