BGM DigestBGM Digest — Week 08 (16-22 February 2026)
Government Installation and Regional Policy Declaration Publication
This week was marked by the inauguration of the Brussels government and the publication of the Regional Policy Declaration (RPD). Minister-President Ahmed Laaouej (PS) was validated on 20 February to head the Brussels-Cocof executive, with a MR-PS-Committed majority. The RPD will be presented to the Brussels Parliament on 23 February at 4:30 PM, followed by a confidence vote on 25 February. This publication marks the transition of six domains from « crisis » status to definitive status : the lifting of institutional blockages enables a factual redescription of the situation.
Social Emergencies : Homeless Minors and ONEM Exclusions
A joint alert from KRC and DGDE reveals that 1,678 minors are among the 9,777 homeless identified in Brussels, an increase of +72 % since 2020. Samusocial reports approximately 127 shelter refusals per week for families. Winter shelter, accommodating 285 places, must close on 31 March, further exacerbating precarity.
Meanwhile, the fifth wave of ONEM exclusions strikes Brussels hard : approximately 37,000 people (representing 22.1 % of the national total of 168,063 exclusions) will lose their benefits between July 2026 and July 2027. The Court of Audit confirms that CPAS compensation will be underestimated at 709.3 million EUR through 2029, insufficient to absorb this influx.
Action Areas : New Additions and Updates
Three new domains have been integrated into BGM monitoring : Urban Planning, Digital and Education. The Urban Planning domain covers accelerated permits, urban amnesty, and abolition of the binding CRMS advisory opinion. The Digital domain addresses the digital divide, administrative simplification, and Brussels' position as an AI capital. The Education domain covers childcare places, school dropout rates, and Cocof/VGC coordination.
Two new thematic dossiers enrich monitoring : Accessibility and Disability (23,100 benefit recipients, 55/69 metro stations accessible) and Seniors in Brussels (163,000 people aged 65+, 11,592 nursing home residents).
Sectoral Crises and Corrective Measures
Vivaqua : the rate increase of +12.5 % on 1 January 2026 comes with alarming data. BRUGEL denounces mismanagement : 73 million EUR in unpaid accounts, 35 million EUR in rejected costs, and debt estimated at approximately 1 billion EUR. A recapitalization of 180 million EUR is planned, with Hydria integration and urgent renovation of 220 km of pipes.
Housing : the Renolution relief finally advances with 56 million EUR (50 million Urban.Brussels + 6 million Leefmilieu Brussel). Among 2,692 validated dossiers, over 600 are in progress, with payments expected by end of 2026. A zero-interest loan program will begin in 2027, endowed with 66 million EUR annually.
Cleanliness : 7,731 fines were issued in 2025 for illegal dumping (+61 %), with 36.7 % against non-residents (« waste tourism »). Total amount is approximately 12 million EUR. The Region plans underground containers and smart cameras to curb this phenomenon.
Systems and Data : Structural Enhancements
A new tagging system has been deployed on the site : 13 labels identify priority populations (Seniors, PwD, Youth, Families, Newcomers, Homeless, Self-employed, Tenants) and cross-cutting issues (Gender, Cost of Living, Precarity, Bilingualism, Civic Participation). The source registry, now filterable by domain, counts 262 sources assigned to one or more domains.
This content was automatically translated. The original version is in French. Read the French version.
Source: Brussels Governance Monitor — independent civic monitoring of Brussels governance.