Across the aisle: Frédéric De Gucht and Ahmed Laaouej

At a moment when Brussels remains without a regional government, TheMerode brings together two of the city’s most influential political voices for a closed-door exchange of ideas.

Ahmed Laaouej, president of the Brussels Socialist Party (PS) and mayor of Koekelberg, and Frédéric De Gucht, newly elected president of the Flemish liberals (Open VLD), meet for a conversation hosted and led by political science professor Dave Sinardet (VUB / UCLouvain).

The clash between their sharply opposed views on the Brussels government formation lies at the heart of the current stalemate. But rather than revisiting its causes, this discussion looks forward: how can Brussels reform its political system so that it becomes more sustainable, democratic, and true to its social and demographic fabric? Which institutions can best reflect Brussels’ multilingual identity while ensuring efficient governance? And how can we strengthen a shared sense of belonging in a city defined by diversity?

This event marks the launch of a new series at TheMerode, curated by Professor Dave Sinardet, exploring and questioning the deeper forces shaping our society and democracy. Moving beyond day-to-day politics and simplistic polarisation—but without taboos—Sinardet hosts and leads discussions that bring together diverse perspectives, allowing them to clash but also to connect in a shared search for understanding, solutions, and common ground to renew our political systems and strengthen the fabric of our democratic life.