For almost 300 days, Brussels has been held captive by a political stand-off that challenges the cliché of Belgium being the country of compromise. Whilst the five Arizona parties eventually found a middle ground on which they could build a Federal Government, the capital remains paralysed by a stalemate that holds strong regardless of the spiralling debts of the region.
In case you've written off Brussels as a lost cause and tuned out, the region is uniquely complicated in that a government must comprise a majority in both the francophone and Dutch-language electoral colleges. In theory, each formation should be made independently and respected by the other side. Instead, the francophone Socialist Party (PS) has flatly opposed a coalition on the Dutch-language side that includes the Flemish separatists N-VA – the party of Prime Minister Bart De Wever and PS arch-rivals.
This political dead-end is completed by the Flemish liberals Open-Vld, which has made N-VA's inclusion in government a condition of its own participation. Maths here plays a crucial role: a majority depends on just a couple of seats, giving significant leverage to relatively minor parties. And not only does this conundrum have king-makers, it features multi-faceted allegiances that are seemingly impossible to untangle.
But with Brussels' finances going from bad to worse, the deadlock must eventually be broken if the city is to maintain its regional independence. And so the negotiations go on, with leaders of the seven parties who could form a government (if they set aside their differences) meeting this afternoon.
Speaking to The Brussels Times a few weeks ago, leader of Open-Vld Frédéric De Gucht described a new mode of politics which does away with the old precept of meeting partners in the middle (the classic game theory that seeks a mutually beneficial outcome) and is more about making sure your opponent loses. Seen from this angle, PS' primary concern is to ensure N-VA does not get into government. Meanwhile, Open-Vld defends the principle of francophone parties respecting the independence of the Dutch-language majority.
It's a battle that many Brussels residents might have lost interest in, seeing the whole affair as proof of the absurdity of Belgian politics. But those who are less fortunate will notice the impact, as the region's debt rises to almost €15 billion, necessitating cuts to services and impeding progress in other areas. Eventually the lack of government will become a problem that interrupts all areas of daily life and cementing the notion that Brussels is incapable of managing itself.
How bad could it get? is normally a rhetorical question. But in Brussels it's being tested in reality.
The future of Brussels: as world affairs develop at lightning speed, Belgium's capital still has no government nine months after elections. As debts rise and the public services struggle to meet growing insecurity, negotiations remain paralysed. To understand the implications of the deadlock and what chance there is of a way out, The Brussels Times is hosting an after-work panel from 18:30 to 20:30 on Tuesday 25 March at Cardo Brussels Hotel. Speaking will be philosopher Philippe Van Parijs, Vista party president Jan Wostyn, and Professor of Constitutional Law Céline Romainville. Registration is free, please RSVP to: info@brusselstimes.com.
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