Key figures from Brussels’ Dutch-speaking political parties expressed caution on Monday morning about the prospect of reopening negotiations to form a Brussels government.
Arriving late in the morning at the office of Groen leader Elke Van den Brandt, Cieltje Van Achter (N-VA), Frédéric De Gucht (Open Vld), and Ans Persoons (Vooruit) all indicated their willingness to engage in discussions.
However, they seemed very sceptical about reaching a comprehensive agreement by 21 July. According to Frédéric De Gucht and Ans Persoons, one might only expect an agreement on major outlines by that date and a detailed government agreement by the end of summer.
“If it were up to us, things could move quickly. But finalising a budget by 21 July is not feasible. I believe we can outline the major points by then and finalise them by the end of summer,” stated Frédéric De Gucht. The Dutch-speaking liberal mentioned that the absence of a direct N-VA representative wasn’t a significant issue for him.
Having an agreement by the 21st “remains optimistic.” “The most important thing is being at the table together,” commented Ans Persoons. When asked about the proposal to gain N-VA’s support, the socialist leader stressed the importance of having a parliamentary majority.
Groen, N-VA, Open VLD, and Vooruit held preliminary talks ahead of their meeting with MR, PS, and Les Engagés on Monday afternoon, following MR’s announcement on Sunday about resuming negotiations. This agreement focuses on establishing a framework for six-party discussions, with N-VA possibly offering external support.
