BGM DigestBGM Digest — Week 29 (13-19 July 2026)
Foyer anderlechtois governance crisis: 26 recommendations adopted
The week was dominated by the Brussels Parliament's plenary vote on recommendations from the parliamentary inquiry commission investigating the Foyer anderlechtois. After 143 hours of hearings, the commission's 26 recommendations were voted on July 17, 2026, passing with 51 votes in favour, 24 against, and 6 abstentions. These recommendations, applicable across Brussels's entire social housing sector, address critical governance and oversight aspects. On July 16, 2026, the government simultaneously appointed a special commissioner for a four-month term to regain control of the entity's management bodies.
The newly created Foyer anderlechtois dossier now integrates this major governance crisis and its institutional consequences.
View the Foyer anderlechtois dossier →
Metro 3: 24 recommendations approved, strengthened governance and budgets
On Friday, July 17, 2026, in the final plenary session before the summer recess, the Brussels Parliament approved 24 recommendations from the special Metro 3 commission by 53 votes in favour, 20 against, and 9 abstentions. This text—two more recommendations than the 22 initially adopted in commission on July 9—introduces reinforced safeguards: unified governance, early budget alert mechanisms, study independence, mandatory geotechnical investigations, a single point of contact for residents, and enhanced accountability.
Budget: personal income tax cut, summer agreement confirmed
The government's summer agreement, concluded on July 16, 2026, at Val Duchesse confirms a one-point reduction in personal income tax effective from the 2028 tax year (2027 income), at a fiscal cost of 58 million euros per year. This tax component aligns with the government's trajectory toward budget equilibrium by 2029.
In parallel, the recruitment of an IT consultant for the budget minister's cabinet was criticised in parliament and either refused or deferred by the government.
Mobility: LEZ reformed, EUR 350 annual pass approved in first reading
The LEZ cleared a major hurdle. On July 16, 2026, in first reading, the government approved a structural overhaul of the Low Emission Zone: an annual pass at EUR 350, a monthly pass at EUR 80, and a social rate of EUR 200 for Brussels residents benefiting from enhanced healthcare coverage. The text has been sent for Council of State review, with implementation targeted for 2027.
On the ground, an open conflict erupted between Woluwe-Saint-Lambert municipality and Brussels Mobility over the removal of concrete blocks at the Montgomery roundabout. Meanwhile, Brussels Public Transport (STIB) reports a record number of compliance checks in 2025.
Housing: NovaCity II approved, SLRB under pressure
Two signals frame the housing domain. On one hand, the planning permit for NovaCity II in Anderlecht was issued mid-July: 117 affordable units in the Trèfles district, with no neighbourhood objections during the public inquiry. On the other hand, the SLRB (Brussels Housing Society) faces legal action from four associations over the sale of two public buildings, while Airbnb supply in Brussels has contracted by 23 % year-on-year.
View the NovaCity II dossier →
Employment: over 1,500 former Audi workers successfully redeployed
Two years after the closure of Audi Brussels, the CSC trade union publishes a positive assessment: more than 1,500 former workers have been transitioned into new employment or training. This transition effort remains emblematic of economic reconversion challenges across the Region.
Education: 18 % of young people leave school without qualification
The Brussels Institute for Statistics and Analysis (IBSA) released a concerning focus on school dropouts: 18 % of young people leave secondary education without a certificate, and 26 % of secondary students experience problematic absenteeism. These stable but above-national-average figures signal structural pressure, particularly acute in the Region's northern and western communes.
Economy: Orange Belgium confirms Evere exit, legal clouds loom
Orange Belgium confirms its relocation from Evere to Diegem by end-2028. Meanwhile, a court ruled that Brussels City's municipal tax on office buildings violates the constitutional principle of equal treatment, adding uncertainty to the regional fiscal landscape.
Climate: air quality continues to improve, breaches persist
Brussels Environment's annual report confirms steady improvement in air quality, despite persistent standard breaches along heavily trafficked corridors.
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.