Despite the urgency of the financial situation, negotiations for forming a coalition government have been stalled for nine months, primarily due to disagreements over the inclusion of the N-VA party.

Ahmed Laaouej from PS remains firm in rejecting the N-VA, citing their history of racist expressions as a significant barrier to collaboration.

Christophe De Beukelaer of Les Engagés described the current political deadlock as irrational, stemming from conflicting positions among the parties regarding the N-VA.

In light of the financial troubles, Didier Gosuin from Défi criticized Open VLD for their role in the situation and urged them to take responsibility rather than complicating negotiations.

In a significant move to address Brussels' urgent budget deficit of 1.5 billion euros, seven political parties convened on March 24, 2025, to task outgoing Finance Minister Sven Gatz from Open VLD with proposing a budget for the year.

This critical meeting, which took place amid stalled government formation discussions, aimed to facilitate compromise among the parties, including MR, PS, Engagés, Groen, Open VLD, Vooruit, and CD&V.

Frédéric De Gucht from Open VLD emphasized the gravity of the financial situation, warning that immediate actions are necessary to prevent federal oversight of Brussels' finances.

De Beukelaer warned that if the budget situation remains unaddressed, it could jeopardize Brussels' autonomy and lead to increased federal oversight.

The costs of personnel and operations in Brussels have surged by 40% in recent years, resulting in a projected debt cost of 800 million euros against a revenue budget of only 6 to 7 billion euros.

The hope is to secure a broad parliamentary majority for the budget proposal, allowing for immediate action to address the financial crisis.

The meeting's outcome is crucial, as the seven parties hold a majority in the Brussels Parliament and can approve a budget ordinance even without a fully formed government.

Party leaders, including Georges-Louis Bouchez (MR) and Frédéric De Gucht (Open VLD), acknowledge the pressing need to agree on a budget to prevent further debt escalation.