Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever warned against making “overly radical proposals” as part of upcoming budgetary reforms.
Speaking in the Chamber’s Interior Committee on Wednesday, De Wever stated that extreme suggestions are unhelpful in achieving effective results. He expressed doubt about whether his call for moderation would influence party leaders.
Responding to questions from Sarah Schlitz (Ecolo-Groen) and Raoul Hedebouw (PTB), De Wever emphasised that the government is currently working behind the scenes on budget negotiations. He said it is awaiting the Monitoring Committee’s report, expected on 6 July, which will outline the scale of the budgetary adjustments needed.
The prime minister declined to set a deadline for completing the budget negotiations. He made it clear that discussions will continue until the European Union’s fiscal requirements are met, indicating that 21 July is not a target date.
De Wever reiterated the government’s commitment to EU expenditure norms. He confirmed plans to reduce the deficit to 3% of GDP by 2029.
While refraining from detailing specific figures, De Wever acknowledged the escalating challenge of budget reform, likening it to a Sisyphean effort given the current geopolitical and economic climate.
He also refused to comment on proposals by party leaders from the Arizona coalition, including Yvan Verougstraete’s (Les Engagés) suggestion for a progressive wealth tax. This plan, which includes a 0.6% levy on assets exceeding €3 million, has already been dismissed by the MR party.
