Brussels (The Brussels Morning newspaper): N-VA’s Cieltie Van Achter worries about slow Flemish government formation, citing urgent regional issues, delays in negotiations, and lack of Dutch speaker representation in Brussels talks.
Cieltje Van Achter from the N-VA is worried about the slow progress of forming a new government in Flanders. It’s been three months since the elections, and there hasn’t been much progress. The talks to create a new government haven’t started yet, which is causing a big gap in the political process. Van Achter also mentioned that the delay is made worse by the lack of clarity on who will represent the Flemish parties in the negotiations. This situation has caused uncertainty and frustration because the slow progress makes it hard to deal with important regional problems. The long delay not only impacts politics but also lowers people’s confidence in the parties’ ability to govern well and meet the public’s needs.
How urgent are Brussels’ governance challenges?
Cieltje Van Achter stresses that the situation in Brussels is urgent because the region is facing big challenges. She mentions a budget deficit that has put the finances in a risky position, needing quick action. She also points out the need for reforms to fix ongoing problems in the region. Safety and cleanliness are major concerns too, and current conditions need a lot of improvement to ensure a better quality of life for the people living there. Van Achter highlights how important these issues are by reminding everyone that her party promised to take responsibility for Brussels after the elections. She emphasizes that there is no time to waste because the problems in the region are serious. Her call for action shows a sense of urgency and a need for quick and strong actions to tackle the financial, administrative, and social challenges Brussels is dealing with right now.
Van Achter says she has kept quiet for a long time to avoid making the Brussels talks harder, but the French-speaking parties’ choice to delay stricter rules for the Brussels LEZ zone has caused problems. She thinks it’s not fair that the Dutch-speaking community has been ignored and believes they need a majority from their side to move forward. On the other hand, Formateur Elke Van den Brandt from Groen replies by asking how they can work with N-VA, stressing the need to fix the trust issues with the French-speaking negotiators and wanting promises to avoid similar problems in the future. Cieltje Van Achter says, “Working with the PS and Groen isn’t my ideal choice for a coalition, but there aren’t many other options available.”
