A New Government in Brussels and the Opposition Reacts

A new Brussels government has formed and Ecolo has been sent back to the opposition. Dirk De Smedt (Anders), Brussels Minister in charge of Public Service, has raised an important point dear to the PS in the government agenda. Quietly, he said, “I raised this point because it is the only mandate on which the previous government did not make a final decision,” points out Dirk De Smedt, to La Libre. “We will therefore make a decision so as not to remain in this legal vacuum. The point is on the government’s agenda for this Thursday.”

A Growing PS-Anders Axis

“This once again shows that the PS-Anders axis is stronger than ever. On some decisions, it feels like there is a third socialist minister within this government,” says a Brussels source, referring to the recent agreement on not collecting fines for low emission zones.

There are not many options to resolve the issue,” points out Dirk De Smedt’s entourage, denying any deal with the PS: either one of the winners of the competition is appointed (not necessarily Marie-Pierre Fauconnier), or the procedure must be canceled and restarted.

According to a Brussels MP, the maneuver is clear: “The new government wants to outpace everyone. And with this appointment, the PS wants to take control of the energy department (Editor’s note: Brussels Environment handles energy in the Brussels-Capital Region), which is currently led by the MR, lacking the experience to fully grasp it,” (Editor’s note: Audrey Henry is the new Secretary of State for Energy). “With Marie-Pierre Fauconnier, the socialists would have a true ‘warrior’ to defend their positions.”

Groen’s Veto?

However, a significant caveat remains. While Ecolo no longer sits at the table, Groen, its Dutch-speaking counterpart, remains very hesitant.

“An appointment constitutes a commitment that will have a real financial impact,” says a Flemish source. The director general position, with an annual salary of around 130,000 euros gross, is especially sensitive as the government imposed a total moratorium on hiring and is working on a comprehensive administrative reform. Elke Van den Brandt (Groen), Brussels Minister for Mobility, may use this aspect to oppose Marie-Pierre Fauconnier’s nomination. “I understand that the PS wants to take control of an administration, but there are enough objective reasons not to do it now, in addition to the moratorium itself,” adds this Dutch-speaking source.

“There is a moratorium, yes, but all leading civil service positions that need to be filled cannot be blocked throughout the entire term. Decisions will have to be made,” argues Dirk De Smedt.

Beyond the numbers, it is the profile of the candidate that raises concerns. Ecolo had already pointed out her “history” at Sibelga. It is remembered that in 2021, Marie-Pierre Fauconnier had to leave the helm of the network manager after a controversy over legal fees (130,000 euros) billed to the company to erase information about her from Google. She had committed to repay the sum.

Towards a Global “Deal”?

Facing criticism of her managerial methods – some petitioners in the previous term denounced practices “based on intimidation,” the socialists counter with legality.

Marie-Pierre Fauconnier came out on top of the selection process, ahead of a Green candidate. “Any other appointment could be challenged by the Council of State,” argue her defenders.

The former deputy chief of staff to Laurette Onkelinx, described as a “contest beast” with undeniable technical skills, has heavyweight support. In 2022, Rudi Vervoort, then Minister-President, refused to declare her “civilly dead.”

Will the case turn into a new crisis? A political resolution is not excluded. To secure this nomination, the PS will likely have to make concessions on other issues with Groen and MR. As summarized by David Leisterh in La DH on Saturday: “Ahmed Laaouej is a dealmaker. That’s how he operates.”