MR leader Georges-Louis Bouchez has again ruled out any increase in VAT, insisting that new taxes must account for no more than one-ninth of the overall budget consolidation, in line with the coalition agreement.
Talks on efforts to bring Belgium’s budget under control reached an impasse on Saturday, with a meeting of the core cabinet ending after only a few hours.
Afterwards, responsibility was pointed squarely at MR and Bouchez because of their continued opposition to changes in VAT, with some of the criticism described as particularly sharp.
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Responding on social media on Sunday, Bouchez said personal attacks would not change his position.
“Insulting me, attacking me or pointing the finger changes nothing about the reality of the world we live in,” the Liberal leader wrote. “My convictions are deeply rooted, as is my commitment to the interests of my country.”
He also repeated at length why his party has opposed any VAT rise for the past two years, arguing that it would weaken purchasing power, fuel inflation, harm economic growth and undermine the competitiveness of large retailers.
Bouchez said Belgium had been brought to its current situation by “always taxing more,” contrasting this with countries that have cut taxes to create greater prosperity.
He has long argued for lower taxes and reduced public spending.
Prime Minister Bart De Wever is holding fresh bilateral talks on Sunday, but a deal now appears increasingly unlikely before Tuesday, when he is due to deliver his state of the union address in the Chamber.
Bouchez said it was “simplistic” to present VAT alone as the stumbling block, stressing that all parties involved in the talks had red lines.
“VAT is far from the only stumbling block. We must therefore continue working,” he wrote. “We will get there if everyone is willing to think beyond a bookkeeping exercise and work towards a real vision for our society.”
