Brussels Government Formation Hurdles Persist as New Memorandum Emerges
Yvan Verougstraete, the newly appointed facilitator in the Brussels government formation, has drafted a memorandum intended to serve as a foundation for ongoing negotiations. The leader of the French-speaking centrist party Les Engagés aims to present a budgetary framework by week’s end, targeting a balanced budget by 2032, reports 24brussels.
Approximately fifteen months after the June 2024 elections, Brussels remains without a government, prompting Verougstraete’s recent appointment. His 17-page memorandum follows discussions with various Brussels parties, excluding Team Fouad Ahidar and Vlaams Belang.
Verougstraete emphasized that this document is merely a preliminary discussion tool rather than a final agreement. “It must be accompanied by thorough research and calculations. The ideas must be able to stand up to the test of budgetary reality,” he noted in an interview with BX1.
The facilitator’s goal of achieving budgetary balance by 2032 strategically positions him between the five-year plan proposed by the liberal MR and the ten-year timeline favored by the socialist PS— the two leading French-speaking factions.
“The aim is to enable the future formateur to play his cards,” he stated.
As part of his preparations, Verougstraete plans to provide an Excel list detailing budgetary measures and their associated costs by the close of the week. “If everything is sufficiently prepared, we will pass on the baton,” he assured.
Responses from Groen and Open VLD
The Dutch-speaking Groen party expressed its support for Verougstraete’s memorandum as a basis for discussions. Groen’s Brussels leader, Elke Van den Brandt, affirmed their backing for the facilitator’s future proposals.
Frédéric De Gucht, negotiator for the Flemish liberals of Open VLD, stated on X that only the future formateur’s memorandum is of significance moving forward. “As announced, we have long been prepared to discuss not only the content but also the budget table and the roadmap. It is time for everyone to put their cards on the table: how seriously are they taking the budgetary exercise?” he remarked.
