Interior Minister Bernard Quintin (MR) will hold an emergency meeting with the Federal Police and the his ministry at 11:30 on Monday.
The meeting follows a chain of drug-related shootings in Brussels and the city's scramble to respond. Quintin's objective is to define a strategy that strengthen the Federal Judicial Police (as stated in the government agreement) and provide more support to the Brussels police forces on the ground.
"The aim is twofold: to protect citizens in the short term and to strengthen the Federal Judicial Police as quickly as possible to combat organised crime and drug trafficking," according to Quintin's cabinet.
Clemenceau metro station. Credit: Belga/Hatim Kaghat
A 19-year-old man was shot dead on Saturday evening as he entered the Clémenceau metro station in Anderlecht. The incident was likely related to drug trafficking.
This is the fifth shooting to occur in recent weeks. Two others took place at the same metro station and one in Peterbos (also in Anderlecht) killed one other person.
'You'll just have to live with it'
Federal and regional authorities have been criticised for a limited, lacklustre response to the spate of violence in public places, often involving heavy firearms such as kalashnikovs.
On Friday 7 February, Royal Brussels Public Prosecutor Julien Moinil told reporters at a press conference that "the more secretive the investigation, the more effective it is" and implored the public to "give the authorities time to organise themselves."
Brussels Minister-President Rudi Vervoort. Credit: Belga/Nicolas Maeterlinck
Last Tuesday, Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region Rudi Vervoort (PS) said "drug trafficking and violence, organised crime... These things are not just issues in Brussels. They are issues in every metropolis [...] You will just have to live with it."
The comment elicited criticism from several groups, notably the business sector. "It is not acceptable that someone in charge would give the message that drug violence is okay because it happens in a big city," chief executive of ECI (Brussels Enterprises Commerce and Industry) Thierry Geerts told The Brussels Times.
To merge or not to merge
The age-old argument in favour of a Brussels police zone merger has gathered pace in this context, as different groups search for potential solution to the city's handle on public (dis)order.
This lively communitarian debate typically sees Flemish advocates calling for more centralisation while Francophone opponents want to preserve local forces and influence.
Press conference against police mergers. L-R: Woluwe-Saint-Pierre mayor Benoit Cerexhe, Etterbeek mayor Vincent De Wolf, Brussels-Ville mayor Philippe Close and Woluwe-Saint-Lambert mayor Olivier Maingain on 22 January 2025. Credit: Belga
All 19 Brussels mayors are in the second camp, arguing that a merger is a "false good idea" that will not resolve any of the police's structural issues, such as underfunding and understaffing.
The cohort reiterated calls to improve funding for Federal Police as an essential measure to tackle these problems. Whether Quintin's intention to "strengthen" federal forces alludes to more financing remains to be seen.
As per the Federal Government agreement, Quintin is in favour of merging the six zones but says that "rushing would not make any sense." He intends to discuss the project with all 19 mayors ahead of implementation, which could take some time.
