In April 2024, the Mobility Committee of the Brussels Parliament discussed the 15 proposals developed in Brussels Voice 23 with the Region’s Minister for Mobility. During a full hour of parliamentary debate, both the minister and the members of the Committee engaged thoughtfully with the ideas and concerns of International Brusselers. This closes the current cycle of Brussels Voice, but there are other chances to speak up soon!
The participants in Brussels Voice 23 dedicated a lot of time and energy to this democratic deliberation exercise. The result was 15 high-quality proposals for mobility policy in the Region. Both the participants and the wider International Brusseler community deserve to see these ideas receive a meaningful response. Thanks to our close collaboration with the Brussels Parliament, we were able to offer that response on 2 April 2024.
The Brussels-Capital Region is approaching regional elections, so the current legislature is nearly finished for the both Parliament and the Government. Nevertheless, the Mobility Committee of the Brussels Parliament and the Region’s Minister for Mobility dedicated an hour during one of their final meetings to a detailed debate on the proposals. This was the perfect setting for such a discussion, since members of the Committee had themselves contributed to drafting the proposals at our Deliberative Session in October 2023.
With several participants watching in person, and others following the livestream or recording, we witnessed as the proposals were assessed by elected politicians with real legislative power.
- The Minister gave a detailed report, situating the proposals in the broader debates around mobility policy in Brussels.
- Some proposals are in line with existing projects in the Brussels-Capital Region. For example, one member of the Committee welcomed International Brusselers’ support for plans to strengthen the cycling network.
- Others proposals met with approval from the Members of Parliament, who pushed the Minister to move ahead. For example, the President of the Committee asked for updates on plans for an international bus station.
- In other cases, members of the Committee were sceptical about the proposals – but they gave considered reasons for this. For example, one member cautioned that using tax subsidies to support the purchase of electric cars could benefit richer residents more than families with limited income.
Note: Since we are in an election period, we cannot mention any politicians by name.
This session marks the formal end of Brussels Voice 23, but the ideas and proposals developed will continue to circulate in policy debates around mobility in the Brussels-Capital Region. For example, both Brussels Times and BRUZZ have already published articles about this final step in the Brussels Voice 23 journey. We thank the participants for all their hard work, and the Brussels Parliament for the excellent collaboration.
The success of the entire process shows once again that International Brusselers want a say on regional policy, even if they cannot vote in regional elections. What is more, they really have something to say! We will not be running another cycle in 2024, as this is a major election year in Belgium. However, most International Brusselers will have the right to vote in the municipal elections on 13 October. Make sure to sign up for the electoral list before 31 July, and keep raising your Brussels Voice!