Negotiations to form Belgium's next government have widely been likened to a marathon, one that the man leading the talks insists is in the "last leg". But after eight months of bitter disputes, leaked policy proposals, and clashing egos, it feels more like the last round of a monumental wrestling match that has pitched the five coalition partners against each other.
The chances of any of them emerging with a deal they are excited about now seems fantasy. Bart De Wever sounded more defeatist than defiant when on Monday he voiced some home truths, namely that the next government has the unenviable task of "saving more than €20 billion", which will make their mandate a painful five years at the helm rather than a glorious crusade in the name of Belgian prosperity.
But if things look bad for the Federal Government, the Brussels government has all but been written off as a lost cause. The negotiators are simply refusing to come to table, locked in an ideological battle that the francophone socialists refuse to step down from. Belgium's capital is hopelessly blocked, with a deficit that in 2024 had grown to €14.5 billion, up from €5.5 billion in 2018.
It's the pinnacle of an all-consuming bureaucracy that Belgium has come to embody, to the exasperation of businesses. And increasingly the city's residents, many of whom have tuned out of the Brussels headache – especially expats still confounded by the profusion of governments and authorities that dictate who does what in Belgium.
Those less attentive to the convulsions of political wrangling might not notice the consequences until they are deprived of something they had previously taken for granted. This could become the case with the popular guinguettes – the outdoor bars that are some of the most pleasant meeting spots on those halcyon summer days we dream of.
The temporary bars, which are set up in prime locations around the capital's parks, are part funded by the region. But without a government to sign off on the permits and money, the guinguettes of 2025 are in jeopardy. Could this be the wake-up call for Brussels residents about the extent of the political failure?
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