A group of Brussels citizens has called on political parties to resume coalition talks on 1 February, warning that political paralysis is damaging the region.
Negotiations have been stalled since former formateur Yvan Verougstraete stepped down after failing to build a majority coalition.
The initiative is backed by citizen movements Respect Brussels and WeAreBrussels, along with employer groups, figures from the cultural sector and around 40 neighbourhood committees. All Brussels parties are invited to take part, except Vlaams Belang.
The proposed meeting would take place on Sunday, 1 February at 10:30.
In a statement, the groups said talks had once again reached a "complete standstill", adding that public anger was growing and political games had become "unacceptable".
They warned that running Brussels in caretaker mode until the next elections would freeze reforms and investments, slow down priority files and weaken democracy. "A region in caretaker mode is a paralysed region," the statement said.
The organisers stressed they were not seeking to replace elected politicians, but wanted them to sit down together and find a compromise supported by a parliamentary majority.
Parties have been asked to respond by Friday, 30 January. Their answers will be made public that evening at Place de la Bourse, where a demonstration is planned from 19:00 in protest at the political deadlock and in support of forming a full Brussels government.
