In the latest episode of the nearly 19-month-long Brussels Government formation saga, Yvan Verougstraete (Les Engagés) became the second formator to throw in the towel on Tuesday morning.
After a meeting with six political parties that lasted over an hour on Tuesday morning, Verougstraete announced that he was quitting his role as leader of the negotiations. In February 2025, then-formator David Leisterh (MR) did the same thing, after months of trying and failing to find a solution.
On Tuesday morning, Verougstraete did not mince words about who was to blame for the most recent failure: Flemish liberal party Anders (the new name of Open VLD), which refused to take part in negotiations. "Budget Minister Dirk De Smedt (Anders) is now very isolated within the outgoing Brussels Government," he said during a press conference.
Verougstraete intended to start budget negotiations between his centrist Les Engagés party and French-speaking parties PS (socialists), Ecolo (greens) and DéFI (regionalists) and Dutch-speaking parties Groen (greens), Vooruit (socialists) and Anders (liberals) on Tuesday morning.
However, Dirk De Smedt had previously announced that he would not be coming to the negotiating table – which led to sharp reactions from the other parties.
New demands make majority impossible
After a meeting that lasted more than an hour, Verougstraete held a press conference where he admitted that he had been unable to find a solution for the people of Brussels and build a majority to implement the necessary reforms and draw up a credible budget.
Verougstraete pointed out that, after over 18 months of failing to secure a majority with MR (Francophone liberals), he had taken it upon himself to explore the only avenue that had not yet been pursued to break the political deadlock in Brussels and form a government.
In his own words, he took the risk of doing so without "his privileged partner," MR.
In recent weeks, Verougstraete succeeded in drawing up a budgetary framework that was more ambitious than previous attempts by reducing the deficit to €248 million in 2029.
It was agreed with the negotiators to build a concrete action plan around 14 priority projects and 65 concrete reforms that will already be launched this year. Finally, Verougstraete had been able to convince CD&V (Flemish Christian Democrats) to support the government without a ministerial post – bringing a double majority within reach.
Newly appointed Brussels region Minister Dirk De Smedt, Friday 24 October 2025 in Brussels. Credit: Belga
"But new demands have made it impossible to form a majority," he said.
"Now that we had found a solution to form a majority on the Dutch-speaking side and reduce the deficit by more than a billion euros, [the Flemish liberals] came up with a new demand that prevents them from coming to the negotiating table, even though this was done through its Minister of Budget: the party is demanding a balanced budget from 2029 onwards," Verougstraete said, while pointing out that this "symbol" was not requested by the EU or the rating agencies.
According to him, Anders is focusing on the 2029 budget rather than initiating credible reforms and engaging in "party politics" rather than concerning itself with the future of citizens.
Verougstraete also expressed understanding for the anger of the people of Brussels, stressing that the region needs "solutions, not vetoes" and that his party remains available to anyone who wants to build a "serious and ambitious project for Brussels" or "think about solutions to solve the problem."
'Shameful'
When other negotiators were asked by the press what the reason was for Verougstraete's resignation as formator, they all said to "ask Open VLD (not yet using the party's new name, Anders)."
As Budget Minister De Smedt did not show up at the start of the budget negotiations, there is no longer a Dutch-speaking majority. Now, no one knows how to proceed from here.
For Ans Persoons, the negotiator for Vooruit, what Anders did is "shameful," she said. "What's on the table now is the most serious and ambitious proposal of the last 600 days. And yet they still dare to block and refuse. Because their ego is too big."
She also accused the party of "culpable negligence," stressing that it will not be possible to draw up a budget with its Budget Minister. She emphasised that Verougstraete's proposal went further than the one MR had put on the table and also than what the EU is asking for.
Her colleague Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) was "disappointed" with the turn of events, she told Belga News Agency.
Vooruit's Ans Persoons (left) and Groen's Elke Van den Brandt, on Tuesday 20 January 2026. Credit: Belga/Benoit Doppagne
By refusing to talk to Verougstraete, De Smedt is opting for an outgoing minority government led by PS. Van den Brandt pointed out the irony of the situation, as liberal party leader Frédéric De Gucht "built his career on opposition to PS and as the defender of a Dutch-speaking majority."
Van den Brandt also referred to De Smedt and his Anders party when asked how to proceed. "What majority is he going to offer us?" she wondered, stressing that a majority is needed to get a budget approved.
It is now up to Anders to answer the question of how to proceed, said Zakia Khattabi (Groen), who repeated that she is furious about Anders' manoeuvre. She called it "scandalous" that De Smedt first announced he would be present, but then cancelled at the last minute.
"It is up to him to take responsibility, including within the outgoing government," she said. "Trust has been broken."
Bernard Clerfayt (DéFI) said that everyone is angry with Anders and Budget Minister Dirk De Smedt. "How can he regain sufficient confidence? Drawing up a budget in an outgoing government is not easy."
