Brussels government negotiations start today

The Socialist Party (PS) started the consultation process today for the formation of a new Brussels government, with Belgium’s vice-prime minister Laurette Onkelinx leading the talks. Normally, the PS would not start negotiations until Monday, but the party suddenly decided to get a head-start on talks for the formation of a new government in Brussels, as well as the Walloon Region.  

For Brussels, Onkelinx is meeting with members of the French-speaking Liberal Reformist Party (MR) and the Francophone Democratic Federalists (FDF). On Monday, she sits down with the Humanist Democratic Centre (CDH), the green party Ecolo and PTB, the Workers’ Party. Onkelinx will also meet with Guy Vanhengel of the Flemish Liberal Party Open VLD, who has been called on to start the Flemish coalition talks for a new Brussels government.

Onkelinx is optimistic, saying she intends to set up “a progressive coalition” by Belgium’s National Day on July 21.