Brussels’ governing coalition is facing a new challenge as the MR party moves to block upcoming environmental and mobility initiatives. The liberal party is threatening legislation to delay the expansion of the city’s Low Emission Zone and review the ambitious “Good Move” plan, citing concerns over potential commuter taxes. This push comes amid internal turmoil for the MR, following recent public dissent and ongoing negotiations to form a stable governing majority in the Belgian capital[[1]].
Brussels’ liberal MR party is preparing to challenge upcoming phases of the city’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ) and a broader mobility plan, raising concerns about potential new taxes for commuters. The move comes as coalition negotiations continue and follows recent internal party tensions, including a protest where an effigy of MR President Georges-Louis Bouchez was burned.
Bouchez said the MR will introduce legislation to at least delay the next stages of the LEZ, specifically as they apply to the city’s STIB buses. The party also plans to push for a review of the Good Move mobility plan and a reduction in property registration taxes in Brussels. The LEZ aims to improve air quality by restricting access for older, more polluting vehicles.
“Did our citizens not vote for an end to immobile mobility?” Bouchez asked, referencing the potential for new restrictions. “Some, on the contrary, want a tax to enter Brussels,” he added, alluding to a proposal reportedly floated by Brussels coalition negotiator Yvan Verougstraete. Bouchez notably avoided mentioning Verougstraete or recent MR defector Michel De Maegd by name.
Bouchez questioned whether the MR’s coalition partner, the Engagés party, will support legislation they previously adopted in Wallonia. “It will be the end of doing everything and its opposite,” he stated. He also pledged to continue advocating for increased security in the capital, including deploying military personnel to combat drug trafficking and more systematically deporting individuals in the country illegally who are linked to criminal activity. The MR leader emphasized a commitment to “firm but just” policies, including continued efforts to fight discrimination.
The MR’s annual address took place at the Claridge, a Brussels nightclub, which was filled but smaller than venues used for previous events. The choice of location may reflect the party’s current standing as it navigates coalition talks.
Several MR officials were absent from the event, including European Parliament member and former Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès, and Etterbeek Mayor Vincent De Wolf, a long-serving figure in Brussels liberal politics. Uccle Mayor Boris Dilliès and Clémentine Barzin, the MR group leader in the Brussels Parliament, were also absent, citing previously scheduled travel.
