The Mouvement Réformateur seals the return of a “winning Brussels”. After 614 days of negotiations, the francophone liberals return to the Brussels majority and reclaim the Minister-President role, ending 22 years in opposition. Amid political gridlock, the formation of a new Brussels government for the 2024‑2029 term marks a turning point: the era of uncertainty is closing, and the era of action is beginning.
For the Mouvement Réformateur, this taking of office is a moment described as historic. For a long time, some believed Brussels was no longer liberal ground and that the MR could no longer triumph there electorally, until the victory of 9 June 2024 under David Leisterh, which reopened the path to regional power. After 22 years outside the Brussels government, the MR will send a new Minister-President this very weekend, reviving a liberal tradition deeply rooted in the capital.
This chapter is also seen as a political lesson: despite the length of the crisis, the liberals refused to give in and kept up the pressure, both on the ground and in the media, until an ambitious government agreement clearly marked by their imprint became possible.
The formation crisis is not being downplayed: it is described as a period of shame for the political class and institutions, which fed extremes on both the left and the right. The conclave that unblocked the situation relied on a simple but demanding method: talking to each other, seeking common ground and compromise, dropping posturing to build a genuine shared project. The agreement reached is not presented as the lowest common denominator, but as a text that breaks with the region's poor budgetary and administrative habits. With this new government, the MR wants to end the image of “the sick child of the country” and restore Brussels to its role as a capital that all Belgians can be proud of.
The new Brussels executive's first priority is putting the region's finances in order, in a region long seen as the worst pupil in Belgium's budgetary class. The goal is clear: restore budgetary balance by 2029, based on an effort where most of the work comes from spending cuts and a smaller part from new revenue that does not involve new taxes on citizens. At the same time, targeted tax cuts are planned to support purchasing power and access to home ownership: a reduction in property tax, a lower regional tax burden on personal income tax, and a higher threshold for the exemption on property purchases to cover more households. Overall, this sends a strong signal: even in a tight budgetary context, Brussels can combine fiscal discipline with tax relief.
This strategy also relies on a structural reform of the Brussels administration, which must move from a fragmented landscape to a few coherent main pillars. Modernisation, greater use of new technologies, simplified procedures, particularly regarding permits and planning regularisations, aim to create an administration geared towards citizens, more efficient, clearer and better attuned to reality on the ground. The goal is to end the stacking of bodies and agencies that has too often diluted responsibilities and slowed public action.
On mobility, one of the strong symbols of the change championed by the MR is the abandonment of the widely contested and criticised plan, replaced by a new scheme designed to learn from past mistakes. The future plan will be based on smaller zones, focused on places where road safety is crucial, such as around schools, while taking into account economic interests and the needs of emergency services. The reform of the low-emission zone also illustrates the desire to balance environmental concerns with freedom of movement. Rather than creating a divide between those who can afford a newer vehicle and everyone else, a fairer model will allow people unable to change their car to purchase an annual pass to keep driving without being penalised. This scheme aims to avoid excluding thousands of users while maintaining air quality and public health objectives.
On employment, Brussels remains the region with the lowest employment rate in the country, and the new government sets a clear target: reach a 70% employment rate by 2030. To achieve this, the activation and support of job seekers will be deeply reformed. The regional employment agency will shorten its follow-up timelines, strengthening the dual approach of support/sanction and refocusing on public service. A skills assessment and a language assessment will become mandatory, with, where necessary, compulsory language and vocational training to ensure genuine skills development. These measures are not intended to be punitive but emancipatory: it is knowledge and mastery of a trade, rather than dependence on assistance, that enables lasting integration.
The housing sector will also undergo a deep overhaul, in the wake of scandals that have hit Brussels public housing. The agreement provides for a consolidation of structures, tighter control and monitoring, and the development of rent-to-buy schemes to enable more households to become homeowners. The MR acknowledges having held back mandatory rent control, seen as counterproductive since it reduces the supply and quality of housing wherever it has been tested. Priority is given to building new homes, both public and private, to ease property market pressure, with particular attention to the middle class, often too “rich” for aid but too “poor” to live comfortably in Brussels. The aim is also to enable young people and families who want to build their lives in the capital to be able to stay there.
Security was at the heart of the MR's electoral programme and remains central to the new government's action. Significant investment is planned for the areas around Brussels-South and Brussels-North stations, combining cameras, infrastructure, cleaning and human support to make these gateways to the capital dignified and welcoming again. The fire and emergency medical service will be strengthened by recruiting new firefighters, continuing work already carried out at municipal and regional level. A drugs commissioner will be created to coordinate social services and the future single police zone, with an integrated approach combining prevention, support and sanctions. With a liberal Minister-President, the message is clear: impunity will no longer be the rule.
On the economic front, the MR wants Brussels to “deserve better”. Two tax-free zones for businesses will be created, at the port of Brussels and on the Audi site, to revive industry and attract new investment. At the same time, the region aims to become the European capital of artificial intelligence, drawing on its universities, research ecosystem, human capital and strategic geographic location. A major structuring project such as the redevelopment of the Heysel site, including a congress palace, renovation of the exhibition halls and the creation of housing, also aims to establish Brussels as a European capital for trade fairs and conventions.
On energy and the environment, a Brussels anomaly will be corrected: the lack of genuine competition between electricity operators, due to overly complex recovery procedures. Opening up the market should allow Brussels residents to save on their bills while boosting efficiency. A substantial budget will be devoted to zero-interest loans for insulation, particularly for households unable to invest without support, aiming to reconcile purchasing power with energy performance. A renewed Nature Plan will be rolled out to protect wasteland and preserve natural areas, making Brussels a pleasant city to live in, where biodiversity and urban development coexist. Penalties for anti-social behaviour will be strengthened, and the cleaning department will be modernised to better reflect realities on the ground. Neighbourhood contracts will be redirected to areas particularly affected by social hardship, delinquency and school dropout, to concentrate public resources where they can have the greatest impact.
The new majority also places emphasis on health and social cohesion, with the deployment of mobile care units in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods, as a significant portion of the population lacks a family doctor. The idea is to diagnose earlier, provide better support and pursue a genuine public health policy by redirecting budgets towards those who need it most. The number of mental health beds will be increased to address an issue that remains too often taboo, and particular attention will be given to combating domestic violence and protecting LGBTQIA people. The ambition is that no one should ever be afraid to move around, anywhere, at any hour, in the capital.
Finally, a masterplan for bilingualism will be launched to make it easier for civil servants to learn Dutch and to strengthen language learning as part of job searching. In a region where unemployment remains high while Flanders, just minutes away by public transport, enjoys full employment, language proficiency is seen as a decisive tool for social emancipation. Brussels is reminded of its calling: the shared home of the country's two major communities, the glue of Belgium and the capital of Europe.
For the MR President, this return to the Minister-President role must not be a three-year interlude but should become the new normal. Through work in government, in Parliament, and in towns and municipalities, the aim is to prove to Brussels residents that they were right to trust the liberals and to make them want to reinforce that trust in 2029. The evening ended with a call for general mobilisation: starting tomorrow morning, going back out into the field, door to door, to explain the agreement, implement it and convince people. This new chapter in the love story between Brussels and the liberals is meant to be that of a “winning Brussels”: a capital that is safer, cleaner, fairer and more prosperous, one that all Belgians can once again be proud of.