Not merging Brussels police zones is historically a missed opportunity

“Open Vld, One.brussels and the Groen party gave in to the French-speaking pressure and did not vote for a merger of the six police zones. That is disappointing since these parties were in favour of a merger in their election manifestos. Understand it if you can. Despite all the studies indicating that a merger of the zones is necessary to face future security challenges, a unified Brussels police zone is unfortunately not yet a reality,” says a disappointed Mathias Vanden Borre, N-VA MP in the Brussels Parliament.

However, the advantages of a merger are numerous and proven: a unity of command, economies of scale, a single force culture, increased innovative strength, stronger neighbourhood action, more expertise and specialisation, etc. “Yet the French-speaking parties remain fervent opponents of a unified police zone, based on irrational and paranoid scare stories. For example, they suspect the Flemish citizen of Brussels of only being interested in power. After all, a merger of the police zones would give Dutch speakers more say in security policy and break through the French-speaking hegemony. The Brussels barons stubbornly cling to their power and their positions at the expense of the safety of Brussels residents. Moreover, they ignore the crucial presence of the Flemish community in Brussels,” states Mathias Vanden Borre.

The Flemish majority parties, Open Vld, One.brussels-Vooruit and Groen, largely joined the call of the N-VA to merge the Brussels police zones. “Yet these parties abstained during the vote. Open VLD apparently had little difficulty with ritually burning its own party programme,” says a disappointed Mathias Vanden Borre.

“It is regrettable that French-speaking parties (MR, PS, Défi and Écolo) manifestly refuse to treat Dutch speakers as equals in Brussels. They would rather block any progress than work together on an equal footing,” Mathias Vanden Borre concludes.