Brussels Governance MonitorGlossary
Key terms of the Brussels government formation, explained simply
Institution
ABP (Brussels Cleanliness Agency)
Regional body responsible for household waste collection and public cleanliness in the 19 Brussels municipalities. Also known as Bruxelles-Propreté or Net Brussel.
Absence of province in Brussels
Brussels has no province, a unique case in Belgium. Since the special law of 1989, the Region directly exercises provincial competences on its territory.
Actiris
The Brussels regional employment office, responsible for supporting jobseekers, managing job offers and implementing regional employment policy. It is a key player in the Brussels labour market.
Brupartners
Main body for socio-economic consultation in the Brussels Region, bringing together trade unions (FGTB, CSC, CGSLB), employer organisations (BECI, UCM) and the non-profit sector (BRUXEO). Formerly the Economic and Social Council of the Brussels-Capital Region.
Bruxelles Formation
Regional public vocational training body. It offers qualifying training programmes to Brussels jobseekers across dozens of professions, in partnership with Actiris and VDAB Brussel.
Bruxelles Logement (Brussels Housing)
The housing administration of the Brussels Regional Public Service, responsible for housing policy. It manages housing assistance, quality standards, rental allowances and rent controls in the Brussels Region.
Public Centre for Social Welfare (CPAS/OCMW)
Body present in each municipality, responsible for local social assistance: integration income, medical aid, housing aid and socio-professional integration. Continues operating during the crisis but faces rising demand.
COCOM / CCC (Common Community Commission)
A bi-community institution in Brussels responsible for personal matters (health, social welfare) that do not fall exclusively under one linguistic community. It is governed by a united college composed of the ministers of the Brussels regional government.
Flemish Community Commission (VGC)
Brussels institution managing Dutch-speaking community matters (culture, education, social assistance). Closely linked to the Flemish government, it does not have its own decree-making power.
French Community Commission (COCOF)
Brussels institution managing French-speaking community matters (culture, vocational training, social assistance). Has had its own legislative power through decrees since 1993.
Flemish Community
The Flemish Community merged with the Flemish Region. It manages education, culture, sport and social welfare for Dutch-speakers, including in Brussels through the VGC.
Brussels municipalities
The 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, with their own competences in urban planning, civil registry, local police, social welfare centres and road management. They form the level of government closest to citizens.
Council of Ministers
The collegial decision-making body of the Brussels regional government. The Council of Ministers brings together the Minister-President and the ministers to deliberate and take decisions within the government's competence.
Court of Audit
An independent institution responsible for auditing public finances in Belgium. It verifies the legality and regularity of the Brussels-Capital Region's expenditure and publishes reports on regional budgetary management.
Dual linguistic majority
A Brussels institutional mechanism requiring a vote to obtain a majority in each of the two linguistic groups (French-speaking and Dutch-speaking) in Parliament. It is the cornerstone of Brussels governance and the main structural cause of the formation deadlock.
Belgian federal state
The central level of government in Belgium, responsible for social security, justice, federal taxation, defence and railways. The Arizona federal government has been operational since 2025.
Federation Wallonia-Brussels
Officially the French Community, rebranded as the Federation Wallonia-Brussels. Manages education, culture, audiovisual media, research, youth welfare and sport for French-speakers in Wallonia and Brussels.
Housing Fund (Fonds du Logement)
A Brussels public interest body tasked with facilitating access to homeownership and housing for low-income households. It grants reduced-rate mortgage loans and manages a stock of rental housing.
Brussels regional government
The executive body of the Brussels-Capital Region, composed of a Minister-President and four ministers (at least one of whom must be Dutch-speaking). It is responsible for implementing ordinances and conducting regional policy.
Linguistic groups
The division of the Brussels Parliament into two groups (French and Dutch) according to the list on which members were elected. This division determines the special majority mechanisms and the protection of the Dutch-speaking minority.
hub.brussels
Brussels agency for business support. It assists entrepreneurs, retailers and investors in Brussels, and leads the Region's international economic missions.
Iriscare
Bi-community public interest body that implements COCOM policies on health and social welfare in Brussels. It funds nursing homes, mental health services and family allowances.
Regional public interest bodies
Para-public entities forming the operational administration of the Brussels Region (Actiris, STIB, Brussels Environment, perspective.brussels, Innoviris). They operate under management contracts but are limited under caretaker status.
Brussels Parliament
The legislative assembly of the Brussels-Capital Region, composed of 89 members divided into two linguistic groups (72 French-speaking and 17 Dutch-speaking). It votes ordinances, the budget and oversees the regional government.
Brussels-Capital Region
One of the three Regions of Belgium, comprising 19 municipalities. It has its own parliament and government, with competences in urban planning, mobility, the environment, housing, the economy and employment.
SIAMU (Fire and Emergency Medical Service)
Brussels regional fire and emergency medical service. It responds to fires, accidents, disasters and medical emergencies across the territory of the 19 municipalities.
SLRB (Brussels Regional Housing Company)
Regional body responsible for social housing policy in Brussels. It oversees the Public Real Estate Companies (SISP) and manages the regional stock of social housing.
STIB-MIVB
The Brussels Intercommunal Transport Company, the public transport operator of the Brussels Region. It operates the metro, tram and bus networks and is a key player in regional mobility policy.
Vivaqua
Intercommunal cooperative company responsible for the production and distribution of drinking water in Brussels and parts of the surrounding area. It also manages the sewerage network.
Brussels police zones
Six local police zones cover the territory of the Brussels Region: Brussels-Capital/Ixelles, South, West, Marlow, Montgomery and North. They operate independently of the regional crisis.
Procedure
Government agreement
A political document negotiated between the parties of a coalition, setting out the priorities, commitments and programme of the future government for the legislative term. It covers all regional competences and serves as a roadmap.
Caretaker government
A situation in which a government, lacking a parliamentary majority, is limited to managing current affairs. It may only take urgent, routine or ongoing decisions, without launching new structural policies.
DPR (Regional Policy Declaration)
Programmatic document adopted by the Brussels regional government at the start of each legislative term. It sets out the priorities, quantified commitments and reforms that the coalition intends to implement.
Regional elections
Elections held every five years to elect the 89 members of the Brussels Parliament. Brussels voters cast their ballot on French-speaking or Dutch-speaking lists, thereby determining the composition of the linguistic groups.
Facilitator
A figure appointed by the Brussels Parliament to help resolve a specific deadlock in the government formation process. Distinct from the formateur and informateur, the facilitator has a mandate limited to a precise structural issue.
Formateur
A political figure tasked with forming a new government after elections or a political crisis. The formateur negotiates the government agreement and the composition of the ministerial team between the parties of the prospective coalition.
Informateur
A figure tasked with exploring government formation possibilities after elections. The informateur consults political parties, identifies possible convergences and recommends a coalition path before a formateur is appointed.
Special majority
A reinforced majority required for certain decisions in the Brussels Parliament, demanding an absolute majority in each of the two linguistic groups. This mechanism protects the Dutch-speaking minority in the Brussels decision-making process.
Motion of no confidence
A parliamentary procedure allowing the Brussels Parliament to topple the regional government by withdrawing its confidence. It must be constructive, meaning it must simultaneously propose a successor to the Minister-President.
Budget
BE HOME
Brussels regional premium that reduces property tax for owner-occupiers. The February 2026 agreement provides for its doubling to strengthen the residential attractiveness of Brussels.
Provisional twelfths
A budgetary mechanism allowing a caretaker government to spend one twelfth of the previous year's budget each month. This system prevents financial paralysis but blocks any new programme or structural investment.
European funds
Funding from the European Union available to the Brussels-Capital Region (ERDF, ESF+, etc.). The absence of a full government risks compromising access to these funds, which require formal political and budgetary commitments.
Metro 3
A project to extend the Brussels metro network connecting the north to the south of the Region. This major project, estimated at several billion euros, is a key mobility issue whose progress depends directly on decisions by the regional government.
Property tax (précompte immobilier)
Annual tax on real estate in Belgium, calculated on the cadastral income. In Brussels, the rate is set by the Region and the municipalities. It is one of the main regional fiscal levers.
Urban Free Zone
Special economic zone planned by the DPR of February 2026, offering fiscal and administrative advantages to businesses that establish themselves there. Two sites are planned: the Port of Brussels and the former Audi site in Forest.
Political
Coalition
An alliance between several political parties that together hold a parliamentary majority to form a government. In Brussels, the coalition must respect linguistic balances and include both French-speaking and Dutch-speaking parties.
Good Move
The regional mobility plan of the Brussels-Capital Region, adopted in 2020. It aims to reorganise travel patterns by promoting public transport, cycling and walking, while reducing the role of the private car.
LEZ (Low Emission Zone)
Regulated zone covering the entire territory of the Brussels-Capital Region, where the most polluting vehicles are banned from circulation or subject to fines. Officially known as the Low Emission Zone.
Administrative pillars (reform)
Structural reform set out in the DPR of February 2026, merging 25 Brussels regional bodies into 4 pillars: Cross-cutting (shared support), Core missions (sectoral), infrastructure.brussels and Land coordination.
National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP)
An integrated national plan required by the European Union, setting out Belgium's energy and climate objectives and measures for 2030. Its implementation requires coordination between federated entities, including the Brussels Region.
Renolution
Brussels regional programme of grants for energy renovation of buildings. Introduced in 2022, it merged energy and renovation grants into a single desk. Abolished in its current form by the February 2026 agreement.
Legal
Rental deposit
A sum deposited by the tenant as security for the fulfilment of their obligations. In the Brussels Region, it is regulated by the Brussels Housing Code and may not exceed two months' rent. Assistance mechanisms exist for low-income households.
Special law
A Belgian federal law adopted by a reinforced majority (two-thirds of votes and a majority in each linguistic group). Special laws regulate institutions, the competences of federated entities and linguistic protection mechanisms.
Ordinance
A legislative instrument adopted by the Brussels Parliament, equivalent to a law at the regional level. Ordinances regulate matters within regional competence such as urban planning, housing, the environment and mobility.
BGM
Brussels Governance Monitor (BGM)
A civic project monitoring and analysing the government formation process of the Brussels-Capital Region. The BGM documents negotiations, assesses their impact on regional governance and makes information accessible to the public.
BGM estimate
A confidence level used by the Brussels Governance Monitor for information based on analysis, cross-referencing media sources or expert interpretation. It differs from the official source label by an acknowledged degree of uncertainty.
respect.brussels
A Brussels civic collective created in response to the prolonged formation crisis. In January 2026, respect.brussels succeeded in bringing together representatives of all 11 Brussels parties around the same table, a first in the history of the crisis.
Round
A term used by the Brussels Governance Monitor to designate a sequence of government formation attempts. Each Round comprises the appointment of an informateur or formateur and the negotiations that follow until they succeed or fail.
Official source
The highest confidence level in the BGM's classification system. Information labelled as an official source comes from a published institutional document, a government communication or an official legal instrument.