BGM DigestBGM Digest — Week 19 (4 — 10 May 2026)
Brabant Quarter : Positive Assessment After One Month of Night Closure
One month after the introduction of mandatory night-time closure (1am–6am) in the Brabant Quarter in Schaerbeek, the mayor draws a positive assessment : the municipality observes a 37 % decrease in violent thefts and a significant reduction in noise during closure hours. The measure was qualified as a success by municipal authorities.
Mobility : Second Car-Free Sunday, Bikes Fund and 12 May Strike
The regional government announced before the Brussels Parliament a second Car-Free Sunday, set for 9 May (Iris Day), starting in 2027. In parallel, the Bikes Fund allocates 1.5 million EUR to thirteen Brussels cycling projects.
The national strike of 12 May 2026 causes major disruptions across the entire STIB network (metro, tram, bus). In addition, the building permit for the Louise Roundabout was issued despite opposition from the minister in charge of Mobility, opening an overt disagreement between the municipality and the Region over the configuration of public space.
Economy : Kanal, Brussels Airport and Recruitment at the Head of Actiris
The Brussels Region granted a 60 million EUR loan to the Kanal project to finance the final works of the future contemporary art museum on the canal banks.
Brussels Airport publishes its 2025 results and announces its first dividend in seven years, a signal of financial recovery after the pandemic years. The government also approved job descriptions and launched the recruitment of a new director general and a deputy director general for Actiris.
Iris Day : The 37th Edition in Turmoil
The 37th Iris Day (9 May 2026) took place in a tense context. The President of the Parliament refused access to staff members of opposition parties at the parliamentary reception, an episode widely commented on in the Belgian press. The ceremony was reduced to a single day.
On the sidelines of the festivities, DéFI publicly denounced the blocking of dozens of legislative texts in the Brussels Parliament, while the President of the Parliament called for reflection on the « archaisms » of the Region in an address with a deliberately conciliatory tone.
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Urban Planning : Auderghem Against the Region, Heysel in Sight
The municipality of Auderghem announced that it will finance a law firm to systematically block major regional real estate projects deemed too dense on its territory, with a blacklist of targeted projects in support. The Brussels construction sector denounces an institutional cacophony between municipalities and Region that slows housing production.
In counterpoint, the regional government presented new ambitions for the Heysel plateau, centred on an international-grade congress centre.
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.