BGM DigestBGM Digest — Week 16 (13-19 April 2026)
Citizens' Assemblies: three years of proposals, a decree still pending
On 4 March 2026, Brussels Environment published a three-year review of the Citizens' Assembly for the Climate. The process has generated more than 100 cumulative proposals addressing habitat, food, and the sharing economy. Cycle 3, devoted to sharing, closed this week with a public opinion proposing 8 priorities: visibility plan for initiatives, project incubator, adaptation of subsidies, federation of actors, library expansion, shared cars for youth, energy hubs, solar panels. However, the ministerial decree to enshrine this citizen initiative has still not been adopted as of 19 April, exceeding the original deadline of end-2025. The Ixelles Participatory Budget, in its 4th edition, held its juries on 8 and 9 April with a budget of 170 000 EUR; final results are being finalized.
See the Citizens' Assemblies dossier →
Chief Architect: accelerating procedures and affordable housing
On 16 April 2026, the Brussels Government approved the strategic plan of Chief Architect Lisa De Visscher. Five axes structure this ambition: (1) procedure acceleration — the Chief Architect's opinion will be delivered in half the time for projects ≥ 5 000 m²; (2) affordable housing through housing cooperatives and public-private partnerships, breaking the speculative cycle; (3) public space resilience — adaptation to heat, increased tree canopy, soil unsealing; (4) conversion of vacant buildings; (5) cross-cutting quality, continuity of architecture competitions and partner linkage.
See the Urban Planning sheet →
Employment: Actiris budget preserved, limited ACS reductions
On 16 April 2026, the Brussels Government agreed on an adapted 2026 Actiris budget, three weeks after rejection of the initial draft and the resignation of the Director General. The initial effort of 40 M EUR in cuts is reduced to approximately 28 M EUR (−12 M EUR). The retained concessions are substantial: ACS article 20 preserved, no 95% job standardization abandoned, Actiris partnership budget maintained in full at 67 M EUR, Public Service Employment Agreements preserved in Brussels administrations. The consolidated ACS budget reaches 276 M EUR. The suppression of the Activa.brussels bonus is confirmed, with replacement by a new mechanism in 2027. Florence Lepoivre (FGTB Brussels) described the Activa reform as « perhaps the least problematic measure ».
Security: escalation of violence in Saint-Gilles, SIAMU relocated
Between 15 and 18 April, Saint-Gilles experienced three serious incidents — explosion on rue de Bosnie (~10 damaged vehicles), gunfire on rue Gisbert Combaz (3 impacts, no casualties), explosion at OKLM Chicha bar on rue Théodore Verhaegen (facade destroyed, 15 windows of the Institut des Filles de Marie damaged). Mayor Jean Spinette (PS) described the situation as « shocking » and a « scourge » on the municipality, demanding strengthened investigation capacity rather than military deployment: « Brussels does not need soldiers, but investigators and patrols. »
Meanwhile, SIAMU relocated from 14 to 17 April to its new advanced post Delta in Ixelles — a 2 700 m² facility on 5 floors (vs 800 m² at the old post) housing 5 trucks and 4 ambulances. Major innovation: post-fire decontamination system unique in Belgium, with two separate circuits reducing exposure to carcinogenic residue. Operational coverage was maintained without interruption.
The curfew ordinance (1am-6am) for the North Quarter, operational since early April, caused its first public incident on 14 April: evacuation of 120 people from nightclub Royale Layalina in Saint-Josse, with the owner announcing imminent « bankruptcy » and preparing legal action.
See Saint-Gilles municipality →
Mobility: Good Move succession, LEZ fines postponed to 1 July
Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt
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.