Sharp Tensions in Brussels MR Party After New RTBF Poll: 'This is Precisely the Sign That There is Real Unease'

Tensions are reportedly high within the Brussels branch of the MR party following the release of a new poll by RTBF, VRT, and De Standaard, which indicates a sharp decline in their electoral support.

The poll shows the MR's voting intentions in Brussels have plummeted to 14.2%, a significant drop from the 21.5% they secured in the 2024 elections. This downturn places the Workers' Party of Belgium (PTB) in the lead with 24.4%, with the Socialist Party (PS) close behind at 15.9%. Other parties like Les Engagés (11.4%), DéFI (7.3%), and Ecolo (6.5%) also feature in the results.

Similar trends are observed in Wallonia, where the MR has also experienced a substantial decrease in support, approximately a quarter less than in the previous election. These figures have triggered internal criticism regarding the party's current strategy.

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By hardening our tone, we have not won over the right. We have lost the heart. The liberalism that I defend brings people together, it does not divide. It convinces through concrete results on purchasing power, not through escalation.

Olivier Willocx, a federal MP and former CEO of the Brussels Chamber of Commerce (Beci), openly criticized the party's "rightward shift," deeming it counterproductive. "By hardening our tone, we have not won over the right. We have lost the heart," Willocx stated. He argued that the liberalism he advocates should be inclusive and persuasive through concrete results, particularly concerning purchasing power, rather than resorting to inflammatory rhetoric.

"The national leadership must hear this: the time for analysis is over, the time for action has begun," Willocx urged, emphasizing the need for a strategic re-evaluation and a return to core liberal principles that resonate with a broader electorate.

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The national leadership must hear this: the time for analysis is over, the time for action has begun.