Efforts to form a new seven-party government in Brussels have hit a wall after the Flemish liberal party Open VLD refused to join negotiations.
Open VLD’s Brussels leader, Frédéric De Gucht, reiterated on Friday that he would not bow to what he called the “PS diktat,” referring to the French-speaking Socialist Party. Speaking to BX1, De Gucht firmly rejected the invitation to negotiate.
The stalemate has left other key parties, including CD&V and Les Engagés, frustrated. Both groups echoed the PS’s plea for Open VLD to return to the table and continue pursuing the so-called “Verougstraete plan,” named after its facilitator, Yvan Verougstraete.
Verougstraete’s proposal, presented on Monday, outlines a seven-party coalition. On the French-speaking side, this would include the MR, PS, and Les Engagés, and on the Flemish side, Groen, Vooruit, Open VLD, and CD&V party.
However, Open VLD are the only party to have rejected it, due to their insistence on incorporating N-VA into any majority coalition framework, who are excluded from the Verougstraete plan. Both Open VLD and N-VA won fewer (2) seats than Team Fouad Ahidar (3), but the latter have been excluded from negotiations.
Yvan Verougstraete, who has been acting as a mediator in recent weeks, appeared on LN24 and described negotiation as the “only solution” to the deadlock. He insisted that talks must involve a framework that could eventually secure majority support. “There’s no point in restarting bilateral discussions,” he added.
Les Engages's leader Yvan Verougstraete pictured at a press conference regarding the negotiations to form a new government for the Brussels Capital Region, on Monday 01 September 2025, in Brussels. Credit: Belga
Top of the agenda is the urgent need to pass a 2026 budget to reassure credit rating agencies monitoring the region’s financial health. Verougstraete underlined that Brussels risks negative repercussions without swift action.
CD&V’s Benjamin Dalle supported this view during his appearance on BX1, calling on parliament to take the lead if Open VLD continues to block the process.
“If a seven-party deal isn’t possible, we’ll have to craft a budget through parliamentary efforts instead,” Dalle stated. He stressed the importance of finalising the 2026 budget by October or November at the latest.
Dalle also pointed to the emerging “positive dynamic” among the six parties that remain open to the Verougstraete plan. For now, he sees no viable alternative but to keep working on this approach. He urged further informal contacts to identify the specific issues preventing Open VLD from joining negotiations.
“De Gucht has outlined some priorities, many of which are already reflected in the proposal. If he wants federal support, let’s explore what’s feasible—but he needs to spell out what he actually wants.”
CD&V's Benjamin Dalle pictured during the oath taking ceremony for the co-opted senators, at the Senate after the federal elections from June 9, Thursday 18 July 2024, in Brussels. Credit: Belga / John Thys
CD&V acknowledged the substantial groundwork already achieved, noting that while the Verougstraete note isn’t perfect, it makes an effort to incorporate the interests of all seven parties.
Meanwhile, De Gucht has denied seeking personal influence or a specific role, despite reportedly extending an invitation to the PS for bilateral discussions. He defended Open VLD’s stance, claiming, “For months now, everyone seems to have to listen to the diktat of the PS.”
Speaking on BX1, De Gucht argued that the budget cannot precede government formation. “Things need to happen in the right order,” he said. Open VLD won’t join a government unless its priorities are heard. When asked if the situation was at a standstill, De Gucht’s response was blunt: “Yes.”
The impasse shows no immediate sign of resolution, leaving Brussels stuck in political deadlock.
