Bouchez Calls for ‘Francophone Federalization’ in Belgium
Georges-Louis Bouchez, president of the Reformist Movement (MR) — the largest French-speaking party in Belgium — has called for a “Francophone federalization” that would transfer key powers from the Walloon and Brussels-Capital Regions to the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (the French Community). In an interview published by UCM Magazine on June 24, 2026, Bouchez argued that Walloon politicians must recognize that Brussels is the economic engine of Wallonia, and that the current institutional structure, which has progressively favored regionalization since 1988, should be reversed.
A Bold Institutional Reversal
Since the major state reform of 1988, regional institutions in Francophone Belgium have progressively gained importance at the expense of the French Community. In 2011, the French Community was rebranded as “Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles” to emphasize this regional anchoring. Bouchez now proposes to reverse this trend entirely.
“I am a strong supporter of Francophone federalization of competencies — that is, transferring much more authority to the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles rather than to the Walloon and Brussels Regions,” Bouchez told UCM Magazine, as reported by La Libre Belgique. The competencies he specifically mentioned include foreign trade, international image, and economic development.
The Economic Argument
Bouchez framed his proposal in explicitly economic terms, arguing that Wallonia and Brussels are economically interdependent. “Objectively, a large part of Wallonia is nothing more than the hinterland of Brussels,” he said. “And on the other hand, Brussels is ultimately just the economic showcase of a Wallonia that still has land to provide and capacity to bring.”
He noted that half of Brussels’ GDP comes from commuters — many of whom live in Wallonia. “I think the greatest opportunity for Francophones in this country is that Brussels is overwhelmingly Francophone, and we don’t exploit that enough,” Bouchez added. “Walloon politicians must understand that their economic engine is Brussels.”
Belgium’s Unique Federal Puzzle
Belgium operates with a dual federal structure comprising three Communities (Flemish, French, and German-speaking) and three Regions (Flemish, Walloon, and Brussels-Capital). In Flanders, the Community and Region have been merged into a single government. In Francophone Belgium, they remain separate — a complexity that Bouchez argues is inefficient. As Wikipedia notes, the French Community exercises authority over cultural, educational, and certain social matters for both Wallonia and the French-speaking population of Brussels.
Political Hurdles Ahead
Implementing such a reform would require a two-thirds majority in the federal parliament, meaning Bouchez would need support from opposition parties. “Discrete meetings” are reportedly taking place within the Azur coalition (MR-Les Engagés), and Bouchez said he regularly discusses the proposal with Les Engagés president Yvan Verougstraete.
However, as BRUZZ reports, the proposal faces significant obstacles. Dutch-speaking parties would also need to be convinced, since Brussels is a bilingual region with a parity government and is also the capital of Flanders. The outlet described the proposal as “political fiction.”
Historical Context and Opposition
Bouchez explicitly places himself in the ideological lineage of Jean Gol, the late MR leader who died 30 years ago. The proposal marks a sharp departure from the direction advocated by the previous legislature, when PS President Paul Magnette pushed for further regionalization toward a four-region system — a project that never materialized.
The Azur coalition, formed on July 11, 2024, brought together the liberal MR and centrist Les Engagés in both the Walloon Region and the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, ending decades of Socialist dominance in Francophone politics. As RTBF analyzed, the coalition was built on a platform of “ruptures” — breaks with past policies.
What’s Next
While Bouchez’s proposal has injected a bold new idea into Belgian political discourse, its path to implementation remains uncertain. The MR leader acknowledged the challenge: “First, we need to have something decent to present to them, and then open the discussion.” With opposition from the Socialist Party likely and Flemish parties skeptical, the proposal may face an uphill battle. However, coming from the leader of Belgium’s largest Francophone party, it has already succeeded in reframing the debate about the future of the country’s complex federal structure.