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R 231554Z JUL 09  ZDK ZDK - RETRANS CYS' - GARBELLED - ZDK ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9244
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
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RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001011 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/WE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV BE
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENTS IN WALLONIA AND BRUSSELS IN PLACE 
 
BRUSSELS 00001011  001.4 OF 002 
 
 
New Walloon and Brdamaged the Socialist 
Party's reputation, the coalition parties have reaQhed agreement on 
a number of good governance Qrinciples.  Ambitious plans for 
limiting parliamentarians' right to hold more than one post atonce 
(e.g. mayor and MP), and an Ecolo initiaQive to abolish the 
provinces, will only be implemented with a delay of several years, 
if at all.  All the plans of the Francophone leader are handicapped 
by the precarious budget sitQation in Wallonia and in Brussels. 
NevertheleQs, Wallonia and the Francophone Community hope to balance 
their books by the year 2015, i.e, by the end of the term of this 
government.Q 
 
Demotte in a dual capacity 
-------------------------- 
 
¶3.  The new Walloon regional government is composed of 
Minister-President Rudy Demotte (PS), and incumbent ministers Andre 
Antoine (CDH), Jean-Claude Marcourt (PS), and Benoit Lutgen (CDH). 
The newcomers are Jean-Marc Nollet (Ecolo), Philippe Henry (Ecolo), 
Paul Furlan (PS), and Eliane Tillieux (PS). 
Whereas in Flanders economic and cultural and educational 
competencies are merged in a single parliament, Francophone Belgium 
still has a Walloon regional government dealing with economic 
matters, and a Francophone Community government in charge of 
cultural and educational affairs.  To have better synergy and to 
strengthen the bond between Wallonia and Brussels, a number of 
ministers will operate in a dual capacity and be ministers in both 
governments, as was the case during the previous five years. 
Demotte will be Minister-President of the Francophone Community 
Government, and the Walloon regional ministers Nollet, Antoine and 
Marcourt will also serve in both governments.  The other Francophone 
Community ministers are Marie-Dominique Simonet (CDH), Fadila Laanan 
(PS), and Evelyne Huytebroeck (Ecolo), who is also a minister in the 
Brussels regional government. 
 
Avoiding Linguistic Warfare 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4. Since the Brussels regional government is composed of both 
Francophone and Flemish political parties, the Brussels negotiators 
sought to avoid linguistic fireworks.  The document signed among the 
six parties concentrates on public transportation, housing, and ways 
to deal with the worrying unemployment rate in the capital region. 
Brussels has in recent years had a demographic boost due to 
immigration, and scores of young immigrants have great problems 
finding jobs.  This is the fourth Brussels regional government 
headed by Charles Picque (PS).  Benoit Cerexhe (CDH) and Huytebroeck 
are the other ministerial mainstays of the team.  Emir Kir (PS) is 
an incumbent minister who is immensely popular within the Turkish 
community of Brussels.  Brigitte Grouwels (CD&V) was junior minister 
in the previous government, and her position is now being upgraded 
to full minister.  The newcomers to the Brussels government are: 
Christos Doulkeridis (Ecolo), who conducted the coalition 
negotiations for his party, Jean-Luc Vanraes (Open VLD), who 
replaces Guy Van Hengel, who has been promoted to the rank of 
vice-premier in the federal government, and Bruno De Lille, the 
Flemish Green (Groen) minister in the Brussels government. 
 
Di Rupo in command 
------------------ 
 
¶5.  In stark contrast with Flanders where the outgoing 
Minister-President Kris Peeters chaired the regional government 
formation talks, the agreement reached in Francophone Belgium is the 
 
BRUSSELS 00001011  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
joint handiwork of the party presidents Elio Di Rupo (PS), Joelle 
Milquet (CDH) and Jean-Michel Javeau (Ecolo).  Di Rupo has once 
again demonstrated that he is the unchallenged political leader of 
Francophone Belgium.  Through Minister-Presidents Demotte and 
Picque, Di Rupo will exercise real control over the Francophone 
regional governments.  The allocation of ministerial portfolios, 
with ministers operating in two governments at once, is not only due 
to the country's complex institutional makeup, but also reflects the 
determination of the Francophone political leaders to strengthen the 
institutional link between Wallonia and Brussels, or the 
Wallonia-Brussels Federation as it is often called in the 
Francophone political world. 
 
BUSH