Belgium’s PM has warned that Brussels’ 600-day coalition deadlock is hurting the country’s image and finances, as hopes rise for breakthrough talks.
Belgium's reputation was suffering from the Brussels-Capital region's failure to form a government more than 600 days after elections, Prime Minister Bart De Wever said on Monday.
De Wever said the prolonged crisis in Belgium's smallest region required major changes to the country's complicated institutional setup.
"Wherever I go in the world, in Europe, everyone asks me about it and says: 'What the hell is this mess?'" De Wever told French-language public broadcaster RTBF.
The Brussels-Capital region has been governed in caretaker mode since the June 2024 elections, with a population of 1.2 million unable to form a working government.
A Brussels government must secure a majority in both language groups in the regional parliament — Dutch-speaking and French-speaking — each of which contains different political parties.
The requirement has blocked coalition talks for more than 600 days, equalling the record set by federal government formation in 2010-2011.
Heavily indebted Brussels has been forced to postpone investment projects and freeze subsidies to NGOs and cultural organisations.
State-owned Belfius bank announced in November 2024 that it would withdraw its €500 million cash credit line, citing declining creditworthiness and the continued absence of a regional government, media reported at the time.
Federal government cannot intervene
De Wever said a 1989 law regulating Brussels governance prevents the federal government from intervening in budgetary matters.
"If that were the case, I would have already done so," he said. "If we throw money out the window, I will be the one who has to explain it to Europe."
Liberal leader Georges-Louis Bouchez on Sunday invited seven parties to restart talks, proposing they meet in one place and stay until a deal is reached, according to Belgian media reports.
None of the seven parties immediately rejected the invitation, raising hopes of a breakthrough after the record deadlock, Belgian news agency Belga reported.
Belgium is familiar with extended government formations — De Wever's current federal coalition was formed on 31 January 2025 after seven months of negotiations following the June 2024 elections.
The country went 541 days without a federal government between 2010 and 2011.