Brussels Finally Has a Government. But What Does It Really Mean for Queer Rights?

After months of political deadlock, Brussels finally has a new regional government and a fresh Policy Declaration that will guide the city until 2030. For LGBTQIA+ people in the “capital of Europe”, the key question is simple: beyond the institutional jargon, what does this deal actually change for queer rights, inclusion and daily life in Brussels?

A new government in a city that sells itself as “open”

The new Brussels Regional Policy Declaration (DPR) frames the Region as a diverse, creative and socially committed metropolis, but also as a city emerging from its longest institutional crisis in history. That crisis has left urgent issues hanging: poverty, housing, mobility and security, all of which directly affect queer communities, especially those at the intersections of precariousness, racism or disability.

Having a functioning government with a defined budgetary trajectory is the minimum condition for consistent public policies. For LGBTQIA+ people, that means that tools like gelijk.brussels and local associations such as RainbowHouse Brussel of Çavaria can finally push their demands in front of an executive that is no longer in limbo.

Inclusion and social cohesion: a framework queer communities can use

The DPR does not contain a dedicated chapter titled “LGBTQIA+ rights”, but it strongly emphasises social cohesion, CPAS (OCMW) support, and the role of associations as key actors in fighting exclusion. It promises to simplify procedures, introduce a “right to make mistakes” in administrative processes, and coordinate better between welfare services.

For queer people who are already navigating complex life situations – youth thrown out of their homes, trans people pushed out of the labour market, migrants facing both racism and queerphobia – less bureaucracy and clearer pathways to help are not abstract reforms; they are survival tools. The creation of a transversal Regional Support Service that explicitly mentions equal.brussels can, if properly funded, become a backbone for mainstreaming anti‑discrimination (including sexual orientation and gender identity) across all regional policies.

Useful resources:

• equal.brussels – Brussels Equal Opportunities
• RainbowHouse Brussels – LGBTQIA+ platform

Work and discrimination: the missing explicit “LGBTQIA+”

The agreement sets an ambitious goal: a 70% employment rate by 2030, with stronger support from Actiris and better cooperation between CPAS, employment houses, VDAB and FOREM. It also highlights the fight against discrimination in hiring, with particular attention to disabled and chronically ill people.

The text does not explicitly name homophobia or transphobia in the employment chapter, which is a missed opportunity. However, the legal and institutional framework it creates can be used by LGBTQIA+ organisations to push for:

• targeted anti‑discrimination testing in recruitment
• diversity plans that explicitly include sexual orientation and gender identity
• specific pathways for trans and non‑binary jobseekers facing systemic exclusion

Here, alliances between queer organisations, trade unions and anti‑racist groups will be key to turn general anti‑discrimination language into concrete measures.

Housing, mobility, health: queer rights are also about everyday life

LGBTQIA+ rights are not just about marriage laws or legal gender recognition; they are also about having a safe home, stable income, accessible public spaces and respectful healthcare. The DPR hits several pressure points:

• Housing: The government reaffirms the right to “decent and affordable” housing, with a focus on social housing, AIS, rent allowances and the fight against slumlords. For young queer people who have been kicked out, trans people facing landlords’ prejudice, or same‑sex couples who fear being outed to neighbours, these measures can change realities – if discrimination is actively monitored and sanctioned.
• Mobility: The text pledges to maintain STIB/MIVB service levels and improve road safety and neighbourhood accessibility. For LGBTQIA+ people who rely on public transport to reach queer spaces, nightlife, cultural venues or health services at night, reliable and safe mobility is a security issue as much as a comfort one.
• Social and health policies: The DPR insists that social policy and health are “at the heart of public action”, including homelessness, prevention and coordination between actors such as Bruss’Help en New Samusocial. Given the over‑representation of LGBTQIA+ people in homelessness, mental health issues and addictions, reinforcing these networks – and making them explicitly inclusive of queer people and families – is crucial.

A “strong and bilingual” Region: opportunity or blind spot for queer diversity?

The agreement places heavy emphasis on building a “strong and bilingual” Region, simplifying institutions and reinforcing the links between communes and the Region. For queer organisations, this re‑architecture is both an opportunity and a risk: it could mean clearer responsibilities and better funding for those actually working with vulnerable communities, or it could dilute anti‑discrimination priorities if they are not explicitly written into every new structure.

The yearly mixed citizen commissions announced in the DPR, designed to bring residents into discussions on major social questions, could become spaces where queer, feminist, anti‑racist and disability justice movements make their voices heard – if they are genuinely inclusive and if marginalised people are supported to participate.

So what’s next for LGBTQIA+ Brussels?

On its own, the Brussels government agreement is not a queer rights manifesto. It is a dense, technocratic roadmap that quietly sets the frame for what can happen on anti‑discrimination, housing, work, health and participation over the next four years.

Whether this becomes a step forward for LGBTQIA+ people in Brussels will depend on how hard community organisations, activists and allies push to occupy the spaces it opens: from equal.brussels and Actiris to citizen commissions and local housing policies. In other words, queer lives in Brussels are very much on the agenda – but only if we insist they are.

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