Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele (Nieuw Vlaamse Alliantie, N-VA) has refused to apologise for urging people to turn away from the Christian Mutuality (CM) fund.
“Not in a thousand years,” he vowed on Wednesday in the Flemish Parliament.
At a party meeting in Ninove late last month, Diependaele had encouraged N-VA members to switch from CM to the Flemish & Neutral Health Fund (VNZ).
His call sparked criticism from coalition partners during Wednesday’s parliamentary session.
“These people deserve our respect, not condemnation," Peter Van Rompuy (Christen Democratisch en Vlaams, CD&V) responded. "The choice for a social organisation isn’t determined by political advice. People make that decision themselves, based on the best care and the best price.”
Frederik Sioen of Vooruit also criticised Diependaele’s remarks. “This struck us the wrong way,” he said. “We expect a government leader to avoid further polarisation and stop fostering an atmosphere of mistrust.”
Despite the backlash, Diependaele stood firm. “If a politician can’t express his opinion to his own supporters, I find that downright alarming,” he said. “Positions are taken on Labour Day, on Rerum Novarum, and in this parliament—because that’s the purpose of politics.”
