The Brussels-Capital Region’s newly sworn-in parliament held its first session on Tuesday afternoon, inaugurated by the regional parliament’s interim president, Pierre Kompany.
The new legislative term will be led by a deeply revamped parliament, after last month’s legislative elections brought in a wave of first-time lawmakers into the parliamentary chambers.
Kompany, the 71-year-old mayor of Brussels’ municipality Ganshoren, will lead the regional parliament until negotiations on the formation of a new majority conclude.
During the first session, each party designated a leader, some on a temporary basis as the negotiations continue.
Dutch-speaking parties Groen (greens), Open Vld (liberals) and N-VA (right-wing, Flemish nationalists) appointed Arnaud Verstraeten, Sven Gatz and Cieltje Van Achter as their respective leaders, while Flemish socialist party (sp.a) is yet to appoint a leader, according to reports.
Flemish far-right party, Vlaams Belang, CD&V and citizen-based Agora each have a single MP to represent them.
On the French-speaking side, the PS (socialists), Ecolo (greens) and MR (liberals) respectively appointed Ridouane Chahid, Alain Maron and former Molenbeek mayor Françoise Schepmans to lead their ranks.
