Latest news with #ReformistMovement
Euractiv
4 days ago
- Politics
- Euractiv
The battle for Brussels' biodiversity hotspot
Just two kilometres north of Brussels' European quarter lies Belgium's largest urban wasteland. In the mid-1990s, the 24-hectare railway yard in the Schaerbeek neighbourhood was surrendered to the wild. Since then, researchers say it has become a haven for bee species and one of the most biodiverse areas in the country. "There are so many butterflies, birds, and it is just so quiet," explains Emeline, whose garden is adjacent to the field. "When I come home from work and I see it, I just feel rejuvenated." But Friche Josaphat , as the site is known, is now the latest flashpoint in a Europe-wide debate over the balance between biodiversity and the need for more homes, especially social and accessible housing. "Brussels needs green areas, and it needs social housing," explains Katja, who lives nearby. 'No obvious justification' The Belgian green party Ecolo has tabled a motion in the Brussels regional parliament to suspend all construction on publicly owned brownfield sites until a new approach to reconciling nature and property development is in place. If approved, Ecolo's proposal would suspend all building projects – including 509 housing units planned for the Josaphat site – on 10 publicly owned plots in Brussels that have reverted to a natural state. 'The first objective is to suspend a certain number of construction projects because we believe there is no obvious justification for them,' John Pitseys, a member of Ecolo in the Brussels regional parliament told Euractiv, 'particularly given the consequences these projects would have for biodiversity in the city". The moratorium would halt all development until the capital revises its regional land use plan, which has not been changed for 25 years. 'What we are saying is that until we have agreed on a vision of the city, as long as there is no document setting out the vision for the next 20 or 30 years, we no longer want to continue building as if it were business as usual,' Pitseys said. Weighing the benefits Whether to develop housing, services or parks, or simply to allow brownfield sites to return to their natural state is a recurring debate in Brussels, Pitseys said. The green lawmaker acknowledged that the issue of urban land use is becoming ever more pressing as more people live and work in towns and cities. 'These discussions are all the more important because it is in the city that most of human activity will take place in the next 30 or 40 years. Especially as climate and environmental problems get worse,' he said. Parliamentary hearings began in July, with French-speaking Ecolo gaining allies. The Reformist Movement (MR), the largest bloc in the regional parliament with 20 out of 89 seats, have signalled their support, vowing to turn the area into a nature reserve, Bruzz reported. Centrist party Les Engagés and the Flemish nationalist party N-VA have also said they would support the move. Discussions are slated to continue in September. The housing crisis The conflict between the housing crisis – a Europe-wide problem, as recognised by the European Commission, which is currently consulting on a forthcoming affordable housing strategy – and the preservation of natural areas is not exclusive to Brussels. A controversial law was recently approved in Portugal to allow for building on previously protected green-belt areas, raising criticism from opposition politicians, housing experts and environmental NGOs. The conservative government in Lisbon has defended what it says is a necessary move to solve the countries' severe housing crisis , but critics say it is an excuse to build grand houses to feed the country's growing luxury real estate market. The approach will not solve the acute housing problem as there is already sufficient urban land, experts argue. In Germany, Berlin's Tempelhofer Feld – a vast field reclaimed from a former airport – has become a focal point for the capital's housing shortage. Although a 2014 referendum argued against new housing on the 355-hectare site, the new government is keen to start building on its outskirts at least. In the UK, a 2021 biodiversity net gain law determines that planning permission is granted on condition that developers deliver a 10% increase in biodiversity – albeit not necessarily on-site. However, the Labour government is planning to rewrite the rule book, seeing it as an obstacle to achieving their pledge of delivering hundreds of thousands of new homes. Expect the Commission's upcoming Affordable Housing Plan, scheduled for the spring of 2026, to trigger heated discussions – both in Brussels' European quarter and in the local corridors of power. (rh, vc, cs)
Ya Biladi
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Belgium's MR Party pushes for recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara
In the context of growing bilateral cooperation between Morocco and Belgium in security, economy, and energy, Georges-Louis Bouchez, president of the Reformist Movement (MR), sees an opportunity to win over a significant base of dual-national voters. For years, the Belgian liberal party has been trying to attract this demographic. Invited to Tetouan last weekend by Belgian entrepreneurs for a conference, the liberal leader also added a diplomatic dimension to his visit by meeting with the Minister of Justice, Abdellatif Ouahbi, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), in Rabat. In a video released on Wednesday, Bouchez introduced a bill aimed at recognizing Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara and supporting the autonomy plan proposed by Rabat. The newspaper La Libre Belgique devoted an article in its May 14 edition to the MR's initiatives to «win over Belgian-Moroccan voters», particularly through this bill concerning a region «currently considered a 'non-self-governing territory' by the UN». Bouchez claims to have already visited Laayoune and Dakhla and believes that «it is now clear that the sovereignty and administration of Western Sahara are effectively and legitimately in Morocco's hands». «I hope this approach will help me build a majority of support among other political parties, while also taking into account certain demands from neighboring countries», Bouchez added. «I hope this approach will help me build a majority of support among other political parties, while also taking into account certain demands from neighboring countries», Bouchez added. Strengthening the Candidate and Voter Base The Belgian newspaper notes that the liberals have long-standing ties with Morocco, the country of origin for many dual-national voters. Two years ago, a group of five Brussels MR elected officials visited Morocco. In this context, Bouchez aims to strengthen his relationships with center-right parties in various countries to counterbalance the left, ensuring a solid base of voters — and potentially even Belgian-Moroccan candidates. However, within other center and left-wing parties, dual-national candidates seem to be gaining ground, as evidenced by those from the Socialist or Labor Party. With his stance on the Sahara issue, Bouchez is making a bold move to restore his image with the Belgian-Moroccan community. He still faces backlash for past controversial remarks about the Moroccan community, which he previously described as «people who have houses in Morocco and receive social benefits in Belgium».
