Institutional reform: merging 25 structures into 4 pillars

Institutional milestones completed

The institutional calendar has reached its key milestones:

• Monday 23 February — the Minister-President presented the Regional Policy Declaration (DPR) to the Brussels Parliament in plenary session
• Monday 23 February at 4:30 PM — Ahmed Laaouej (PS) presented the Community Policy Declaration (DPC) of the Cocof to the French-speaking Brussels Parliament
• Friday 27 February — vote of confidence in the Brussels Parliament: 51 in favour (MR, PS, Engagés, Groen, Anders, Vooruit; CD&V external support), 27 against (N-VA, DéFI, PTB, Ecolo, TFA). The Dilliès government is officially in office

Cocof: presidency and competences

The agreement on the presidency of the French-speaking Brussels Parliament (Cocof assembly) was finalised on 23 February 2026:

• Rudi Vervoort (PS) serves as president until 1 November 2027
• Gladys Kazadi (Les Engagés) takes over for the remainder of the legislature
• Remuneration: +35,000 EUR/year on top of the parliamentary allowance

The distribution of Cocof competences has drawn criticism:

The Employment/Training split places Actiris and Bruxelles Formation under different ministerial oversight — a choice contested by the opposition (Bernard Clerfayt, DéFI, citing OECD recommendations in favour of integration).

Bilingualism: commitment and controversy

The RPD lists bilingualism as an institutional priority. The Minister-President publicly acknowledged his insufficient command of Dutch, stating he owes it to Brussels residents to improve. The Dutch-language press covered this issue extensively, highlighting its significance in an officially bilingual region. The issue remains sensitive in the Brussels-Capital Region, where institutional bilingualism is a legal obligation.

The delay in finalising the Dutch-language version of the RPD — still unavailable five days after the agreement, according to BRUZZ (17 February 2026) — has reignited the debate on institutional bilingualism. The language question remains a structural issue in Belgium: the 1831 Constitution only received an official Dutch text in 1967 — for 136 years, only the French text had legal standing. The German version was not adopted until 1991.

VUB/BRIO Language Barometer: 25 years of linguistic decline

The fifth edition of the Taalbarometer (VUB/BRIO, May 2024) documents 25 years of linguistic evolution in Brussels:

English now surpasses Dutch as the second most-known language, while 10.5% of the population has no command of any of the three main languages (25% among non-Europeans). This factual diagnosis directly informs the Masterplan commitments below.

Source: Saeys, Laurent Simon & Kavadias, Het Nederlands in een meertalige context, BRIO 2024; VRT NWS / BRUZZ (15 May 2024).

Bilingualism Masterplan ("Masterplan Tweetaligheid")

The RPD announces a cross-cutting Bilingualism Masterplan with several simultaneous tracks:

• Hospitals: each Brussels hospital must submit a language policy plan ("taalbeleidsplan"). Staff will be able to follow funded language training. The aim is to guarantee access to care in both official languages — a sensitive point since the baby Cisse case (failure of Dutch-language communication in the emergency department).
• Regional administration: additional funding for language training in autonomous public bodies (OIP) and the regional public service (SPRB). Talent.brussels already manages bilingualism premiums (600 to 3,200 EUR/year depending on SELOR/CEFR level).
• Municipalities and CPAS: guidance to strengthen bilingualism in local public services.
• Jobseekers: mandatory language test upon registration with Actiris; mandatory FR/NL training if the test is failed (see Employment card).

In parallel, at the Flemish Community level, Minister Cieltje Van Achter (N-VA) is developing a separate "totaalplan" through the Huis van het Nederlands to boost Dutch usage in Brussels. Both plans (regional and Flemish community) overlap on the ground but fall under different levels of government — a typical illustration of Brussels' institutional complexity.

Cocof Presidency and DPC

On 20 February 2026, the Cocof college approved the Community Policy Declaration. Ahmed Laaouej (PS) is Minister-President of the Cocof, in keeping with the convention assigning this role to the second-largest French-speaking coalition party. The community majority comprises MR, PS and Les Engagés.

The DPC was presented to the French-speaking Brussels Parliament on 23 February 2026. The announced priorities include subtitling BX1 (Dutch, English, accessibility), combating school dropout, vocational training, an integrated social-health plan, and expanding childcare places.

VGC: college and competences

The VGC (Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie / Flemish Community Commission) college — the executive body of the Dutch-speaking community in Brussels — is composed of the three Dutch-speaking members of the Brussels Regional Government:

The Raad (council) of the VGC, composed of the 17 Dutch-speaking members of the Brussels Parliament, is chaired by Benjamin Dalle (CD&V). Flemish Minister Cieltje Van Achter (N-VA), responsible for Brussels, attends college meetings with an advisory vote.

Structural difference with COCOF: unlike COCOF, which has decretal power since 1993 (it can adopt decrees with the force of law), the VGC has no legislative power of its own. Its competences are delegated by the Flemish Community, which retains oversight. The VGC exercises its competences through regulations, not decrees — a fundamental institutional asymmetry in the Brussels architecture.

On 6 March 2026, the VGC Council approved the majority agreement entitled "Brussel, dat is zoveel meer" ("Brussels, that is so much more"). The agreement is structured around six pillars: childcare, education, culture, youth, sport and welfare. Key priorities include tackling the teacher shortage and school dropout, expanding family support centres, a VGC-wide reading policy linking schools and libraries, and a "swimming offensive" for new public pools. No budget figures were provided; the college president announced a multi-year budget for spring 2026. The opposition (N-VA, TFA, Vlaams Belang, PVDA) criticised the agreement as too vague and lacking measurable targets.

At the same session, Benjamin Dalle (CD&V) was officially elected Raad chair, with the creation of an additional secretary position to accommodate the four Dutch-speaking majority parties.

Council of Ministers — 5 March 2026

The council of ministers of 5 March 2026 marked the first concrete actions of the new government:

Administration reform (decree in 1st reading)

The government approved in first reading a decree laying the foundations for the administrative reform. The project creates a cross-cutting shared administration, under the supervision of Civil Service Minister Dirk De Smedt (Anders). The objective: implement the transition from 25 structures to 4 pillars, starting with shared support services (pillar 1). A second reading is expected.

Federal SIAMU dotation tripled

The Chamber voted on 5 March 2026 to nearly triple the federal dotation for SIAMU (Brussels Fire and Emergency Medical Service): from EUR 5.7 million to EUR 15.4 million. This correction follows a 2022 Constitutional Court ruling that found discriminatory the exclusion of Brussels from federal funding of emergency zones since the 2015 reform. The structural envelope for all emergency zones rises from EUR 7.5 to EUR 17.5 million/year. From 1 January 2027, allocations will be indexed annually.

RPD commitments

The Regional Policy Declaration of 13 February 2026 provides for the most ambitious restructuring in the history of the Brussels administration. Chapter 4 details the merger of 25 regional structures into 4 pillars.

Pillar 1: Brussels-Cross-cutting (shared support)

Groups the common support services for the entire Region:

• SPRB Human Resources, Talent.Brussels
• Finance & Budget, Connect IT, Paradigm
• Equal.Brussels, Easy.Brussels
• Regional Land Agency, IBSA (statistics)
• Brussels Fiscality (including LEZ, ANPR, kilometre tax)

Pillar 2: SPRB Core missions

Groups the policy administrations:

• Brussels-International, Brussels-Mobility
• Brussels-Economy, Brussels-Employment (with Actiris?)
• Brussels-Local Authorities, Brussels-Housing (with Homegrade)
• Brussels-Environment (excluding parks), Brussels-Urban Planning (merger of perspective.brussels + urban.brussels)
• Safe.Brussels

Pillar 3: infrastructure.brussels (new public-law corporation)

New autonomous corporation grouping:

• Build/Maintain/DITP from Brussels-Mobility
• Port infrastructure
• Parks and green spaces (transferred from Brussels-Environment)

Deadline: 2027

Pillar 4: Land coordination

Coordinates regional land actors:

• Regional Land Agency, SAU, citydev
• SLRB, Port of Brussels (concessions), Housing Fund

Timeline

• 2026: Pillars 1 & 2 operational (priority)
• 2027: Pillar 3 (infrastructure.brussels)
• Progressive mergers Pillar 2: Urban Planning → International → Economy → Employment

COCOM: provisional twelfths extended

The COCOM college decided on 26 February 2026 to extend provisional twelfths until 1 June 2026. The regional budget 2026 was submitted to Parliament on 6 March 2026; the COCOM budget will follow on 20 April 2026.

According to the government note, 98% of the 2026 budget is already committed (family allowances are guaranteed). However, subsidised non-profits remain in uncertainty: provisional twelfths prevent them from accessing their normal funding and contracting bridging loans from banks, leading to service cuts and staff reductions.

Parliament: Equal Opportunities Commission retained

On 26 February 2026, the bureau of the Brussels Parliament examined a proposal to transform the permanent Commission on Equal Opportunities and Women's Rights into a simple advisory committee attached to the Interior Affairs Commission. This change would have removed its legislative and budgetary oversight powers.

The proposal drew reactions within the majority:

• The PS (Jamal Ikazban) expressed "stupefaction" and demanded the permanent commission status be maintained
• The MR (Loubna Azghoud) discovered the proposal "with surprise"
• Ecolo (Zakia Khattabi) claimed to have prevented the point from passing: "without the Greens, this point would have gone through"

During the vote of confidence on 27 February 2026, the majority confirmed the retention of all parliamentary commissions, including the Equal Opportunities Commission. The proposal to abolish it has been dropped.

Institutional complexity: Belgium's "lasagne"

The Brussels Region operates within an institutional network of unique density in Europe. Across 19 municipalities and 6 levels of government (federal, regional, community, COCOM/COCOF/VGC, municipal), competences are fragmented and intertwined. The oft-cited example: health falls under no fewer than 9 ministers in Belgium. This phenomenon, called the "institutional lasagne", makes integrated policymaking particularly difficult in Brussels. The reform of 25 structures into 4 pillars is an attempt at simplification at the regional level, but does not touch the community-level architecture.

Local and administrative governance (RPD, chapter 4)

The RPD contains additional commitments on local and administrative governance:

• Urban planning ruling : introduction of a preliminary ruling mechanism allowing project developers to obtain a binding preliminary opinion before formally submitting a permit application
• Right to administrative error : principle protecting citizens from penalties for a first good-faith mistake in administrative procedures
• Local Joint Commission (CPL) : structured dialogue body between the Region and the 19 municipalities
• Mixed Region-municipalities commissions : thematic coordination mechanisms for shared competences (mobility, cleanliness, security)
• Strengthened oversight : reinforcement of regional oversight of municipal finances, with balanced budget targets

These commitments have not yet been translated into ordinances or regulatory texts.

Deliberative Committees

The Brussels Parliament has established a participatory democracy mechanism through Article 28bis of its rules: deliberative committees bring together 45 randomly selected citizens and 15 MPs. Six committees have been completed between 2021 and 2024 (homelessness, 5G, biodiversity, housing, mobility, youth). A 7th committee on public cleanliness was voted in January 2026.

Source: Brussels Parliament, 2021-2026.

Municipalities: EUR 1.718 billion in transferred charges (March 2026)

On 11 March 2026, Brulocalis (the association of Brussels municipalities and CPAS) and the Conference of Mayors denounced an "unprecedented financial shock" for Brussels local authorities. According to their study, decisions taken by other levels of government represent EUR 1.718 billion in additional charges for municipalities over the 2025-2029 period, of which only 26.7% would be compensated — leaving EUR 1.258 billion to be borne by the municipalities.

The charges are spread across four main areas:

• Police zone funding — approximately 500M EUR (KUL norm, rural solidarity, police pensions)
• Statutory staff pensions — 775M EUR, of which only 10.5% compensated by the federal level
• Unemployment reform / CPAS — 558M EUR in additional influx linked to the transfer of charges
• Tax reform — 32M EUR/year in lost municipal revenue from 2029

The president of Brulocalis, Christian Lamouline (mayor of Berchem-Sainte-Agathe), stated: "2025 marked a tipping point in the financial situation of Brussels municipalities." The municipalities are calling for a binding framework guaranteeing budgetary neutrality of decisions taken by other levels of government.

Sources: La Libre, BX1, DH, Trends-Tendances, Le Vif (11 March 2026).

City of Brussels college: reshuffle (March 2026)

On 11 March 2026, the office of Mayor Philippe Close announced a partial reorganisation of the City of Brussels college of mayor and aldermen:

• Khalid Zian (PS), former CPAS president, returns to the college as alderman for Public Works and International Solidarity. His term will be shared with Karim Tafranti, who will succeed him at the end of 2028
• Nawal Ben Hamou (PS) takes over Culture (a competence previously managed by the mayor), in addition to her existing portfolios (Housing, Equal Opportunities, Tourism, Major Events)

The reorganisation aims to free the mayor for strategic priorities: merger of police zones, hospital organisation, security and the fight against drug trafficking.

Source: La Libre (11 March 2026).

Palais de Justice: renovation exceeding 600 million EUR

According to a parliamentary question by MP Britt Huybrechts (VB) to Minister Vanessa Matz (Les Engages), the total cost of renovating the Palais de Justice de Bruxelles exceeds 600 million EUR:

• Facade: approximately 100M EUR, completion expected by 2030
• Interior: estimated at approximately 480M EUR, completion expected by 2040
• Expenditure to date: ~33.5M EUR since 1984 (including 28.5M EUR in studies and initial works since 2018, and ~5M EUR on scaffolding since the 1980s)

This federal project remains emblematic of Brussels' institutional complexity: the Palais de Justice falls under federal competence (Regie der Gebouwen / Buildings Agency), but is located in the heart of the Region and constitutes a major architectural symbol of the capital.

Source: BRUZZ (10 March 2026).

Brussels MR presidency election (March 2026)

The call for candidacies for the presidency of the Brussels MR was launched on 20 March 2026, with a tight schedule:

• Candidacy deadline: 30 March 2026 at midnight
• Vote: 21-24 April 2026
• Count: 24 April at 2 PM

David Weytsman (CPAS president of the City of Brussels) is the favourite. Valentine Delwart, appointed mayor of Uccle, is not running.

This election takes place while MR is the leading party in the regional majority, holding the Minister-President post.

Source: BX1, Le Soir (20 March 2026).

CD&V: majority partner without ministerial post (March 2026)

CD&V (Benjamin Dalle, 1 seat, 5,102 votes or 6% of Dutch-speaking votes) supports the Dilliès government without holding a ministerial post — an unprecedented arrangement in Brussels politics, described as the "heist of the century" by La Libre.

Concessions obtained:

• Government commissioner at the STIB
• 4 board members on the Actiris board of directors
• Strategic mandates at SAU and Citydev (negotiations ongoing for SLRB and STIB)
• 3 parliamentary assistants, 1 staff member in the Dilliès cabinet (chief of staff rank), 1 in the Hublet cabinet
• Participation in budget discussions

VGC tensions: Flemish Minister Cieltje Van Achter (N-VA) refuses CD&V's presence on the VGC college, calling the party a "stowaway". The opposition (Ecolo, Zakia Khattabi) raises a constitutional question on the separation of powers.

Source: La Libre (20 March 2026).

Police zone merger: federal progress (March 2026)

The Interior Committee of the Chamber approved in first reading (4 March 2026) the bill by the federal Interior Minister on the merger of the 6 Brussels police zones into a single zone of 6,500 officers. Operationalisation is planned between October 2027 and January 2028.

The distribution key for charges between municipalities is a source of tension: it relies on the KUL norm (60%) and 1999 municipal revenues (40%). This mechanism disadvantages small municipalities with low revenues: Etterbeek (3.5%), Berchem-Sainte-Agathe (1.4%), Jette (3%), Ganshoren (1.6%) — while the City of Brussels (21%), Schaerbeek (16%) and Anderlecht (15%) bear the bulk of the cost.

An alarm bell mechanism has been integrated into the bill, allowing the Governor of Brussels to intervene in cases of manifest financial imbalance.

Federal funding amounts to EUR 65 million. A second reading in committee is expected.

Note: this reform falls under federal competence. Its impact on Brussels municipal finances is detailed in the Brulocalis section (EUR 1.718 billion in charges, of which ~500M for police).

Sources: RTBF (4 March 2026), DH (18 March 2026).

First internal tension: Bois de la Cambre (23 March 2026)

On day 37 of the Dilliès government, a first open conflict emerged between coalition partners. The regional service urban.brussels issued a formal citation against the City of Brussels for concrete blocks placed without a permit in the Bois de la Cambre (classified zone). State Secretary Audrey Henry (MR) and Minister-President Boris Dilliès (MR) publicly criticised Alderman Anais Maes (Vooruit).

This dispute illustrates the difficulty of governing with 7 parties split between the regional and municipal levels, where the same political formations can oppose each other depending on the level of government.

Sources: L'Avenir, DH (23 March 2026).

Regional budget 2026: approved in committee (23 March 2026)

The Finance Committee of the Brussels Parliament approved the regional budget 2026 on 23 March 2026. The projected deficit stands at EUR 957 million, kept below the billion mark — in line with the commitment made in the RPD.

This vote represents a major institutional milestone: it is the first full budget adopted by the Region after 613 days of crisis and provisional twelfths. The plenary vote is scheduled before 1 April 2026.

Groen: new party presidency (21 March 2026)

Aimen Horch (30, Vilvoorde), elected for a first term in the Flemish Parliament, won the presidency of Groen on 21 March 2026 with 51.1% of the vote in the first round. His running-mate, Lien Arits (Brussels), became vice-president of the party.

Groen is part of the Brussels regional majority, with Elke Van den Brandt serving as a government member and president of the VGC college. This generational renewal at the head of the party could influence Groen's positioning on Brussels-related issues.

Second internal tension: LEZ and social exceptions (26-27 March 2026)

On day 43 of the government, a second political fracture emerged — this time on a substantive issue. The question of social exceptions to the LEZ for holders of BIM status (30% of Brussels residents) divides the coalition:

• PS and Vooruit: demand full exemption for BIM holders
• Groen: blocks the exemption, arguing it would hollow out the LEZ and create a legal risk (constitutional standstill principle)
• MR: tries to maintain cohesion

A government source states: "We are navigating a minefield... we know there will be lawsuits." This conflict runs deeper than the Bois de la Cambre dispute (day 37): it touches on Groen's environmental identity and the social promise of PS/Vooruit.

No agreement has been reached. Fines of EUR 350 technically apply from 1 April 2026. A reformed framework is targeted for January 2027.

Sources: La Libre, La DH (26 March 2026).

Bois de la Cambre: violation notice for planning infractions (23 March 2026)

On 23 March 2026, Urban.brussels issued a formal violation notice against the City of Brussels for planning infractions in the Bois de la Cambre (Ter Kamerenbos): 40 boulders replaced by concrete blocks without a permit, in a protected area. State Secretary for Urban Planning Audrey Henry (MR) ordered a regional inventory of concrete blocks in public spaces and requested aesthetically superior alternatives.

A meeting between Henry, Mayor Philippe Close (PS) and the relevant aldermen resulted in a timeline: the City of Brussels will submit a regularisation permit before summer 2026. The blocks remain in place pending authorisation.

The incident crystallised a visible tension between the Region (MR) and the City of Brussels (PS/Vooruit) — one of the first intra-coalition clashes, 37 days after the government's formation.

Source: BRUZZ (23 March 2026), La Libre, DH. Confidence: official (Urban.brussels violation notice).

MR Brussels presidency: Leisterh succession (March 2026)

On 31 March 2026, David Weytsman (CPAS Brussels president, former regional MP) declared his candidacy for the presidency of MR Brussels, replacing David Leisterh (resigned). Géofrey Coomans de Brachène is also running. The secret ballot will be held from 21 to 24 April 2026 (count on 24 April at 2pm).

This internal renewal does not directly affect the regional government but signals the structuring of forces within the Minister-President's party.

Source: BX1 (30-31 March 2026). Confidence: official.

First government crisis: LEZ and subsidies (2-4 April 2026)

The Dilliès government weathered its first crisis on day 50 of its existence (2-4 April 2026). The immediate cause: the unilateral postponement of LEZ fines by Finance Minister De Smedt (Anders), without consulting the coalition partners.

Crisis timeline:

• 2 April: government session blocked. All items postponed. Groen (Van den Brandt) furious at not being consulted. PS conditions Groen subsidies on a BIM exemption (increased intervention beneficiaries = ~one-third of Brussels residents).
• 3 April: exceptional government meeting convened. De Smedt refuses subsidies to BRAL and Inter-Environnement Bruxelles (IEB), arguing that "no subsidies should go to organisations that launch proceedings against the Region". Cyclo, ARAU, Fietsersbond, Gracq, Pro Velo receive their subsidies.
• 4 April: agreement reached on the LEZ (see Mobility card). Crisis resolved.

This deadlock constituted a stress test of the 7-party coalition's mediation capacity. The refusal of BRAL/IEB subsidies remains a strong political signal about the government's relationship with environmental civil society.

Source: La Libre / BX1 / L'Avenir / DH / BRUZZ (2-4 April 2026). Confidence: official.

Brussels 'European Capital of Democracy 2027' (April 2026)

On 7 April 2026, the City of Brussels was designated 'European Capital of Democracy' for 2027 following a vote involving more than 5,500 citizens from the 46 member states of the Council of Europe and Kosovo. The title is carried by an independent initiative (European Capital of Democracy) that aims to highlight cities developing innovative forms of citizen participation and engagement.

The candidacy was submitted under the slogan 'Brussels must be DemoCrazy', in response to what the City describes as a global democratic decline. An expert jury visited Brussels on 20 January 2026 to evaluate local democracy initiatives across several neighbourhoods before the European citizen vote.

Scope: the title is held by the City of Brussels (municipal level), not by the Brussels-Capital Region. Duration: one year (2027). The City will host "numerous projects, debates and events devoted to citizen participation, dialogue and democratic innovation". Brussels joins Barcelona, Vienna and Cascais, previous titleholders.

Sources: L'Avenir / Belga (8 April 2026); official European Capital of Democracy website.

Sources and methodology

The commitments documented above come from the official text of the RPD (chapter 4) and from concordant press sources covering the government agreement of 12 February 2026.