Brussels has finally a regional government after 600 days of negotiations

After more than 600 days of negotiations, Brussels has managed to form a new regional government, a moment celebrated by the leader of the Reformist Movement (MR), Georges-Louis Bouchez, who posted an image with white smoke on social media, symbolizing success.

The Belgian capital has not had a regional government since the elections in June 2024, which has led to chaos in the city's finances, which is facing a debt of 15 billion euros. The parties involved in the negotiations included MR, PS, Les Engagés, Groen, Vooruit, Anders, and CD&V. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever reacted with cautious optimism, emphasizing that they need to analyze the details of the agreement, considering that Brussels' budget has been severely affected. Belgium's decentralized system allows each region to have a separate government, which often complicates coalition formation.