Brussels’ N-VA leader, regional MP Cieltje Van Achter, seeks more power and funding for the Brussels-Capital Region, she said in an interview with LN24 on Friday. In particular, she wants the region to have increased authority in employment policy.
Now three months since the national and regional elections in June, the N-VA is increasingly being put forward as a coalition partner in the Brussels majority. This comes as the Christian Democrats CD&V express their hesitations about negotiating with Team Fouad Ahidar – a new political entity that took three seats, making it mathematically challenging to disclude from talks.
Van Achter says there has for weeks been communication with Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) but no formal negotiation for Flemish majority has begun. “I have not been invited by the formateur for negotiation” Van Achter confirmed.
Questioned on what N-VA would like to see change in Brussels, Van Achter said the party would like more authority for Brussels, especially if that would allow the Capital Region to balance the regional finances.
Moreover, it aims to create a single police zone for the entire region to improve security. She was critical of the current situation, in which "Everyone has authority but no one takes responsibility. We can't keep debating which mayor is responsible for which street; we must have a harmonised approach to security."
Police vans are seen at the site of riots near Anneessens Square in Brussels, Thursday 29 June 2023. Credit: Belga / Hatim Kaghat
Van Achter also wants to see the Flemish and French language communities invest more in the capital, particularly in their areas of expertise such as education.
The N-VA MP said she would be ready to join a majority in the Brussels Government and was thinly critical about the time it has already taken to move forward with formation discussions. But she acknowledged the challenge of finding an accord with parties like the PS and Groen, who aren’t keen to ally themselves with the Flemish nationalist formation.
“The political cards are what they are,” Van Achter concluded. “We can’t wait anymore. We will only develop trust between us if we get around the negotiation table.”
