Social Integration Minister Karine Lalieux (PS) on Friday deplored the fact that her decree aimed at supporting the psychological well-being of young people aged 18 to 25 in five of the country's major cities was blocked "by the Liberals" at a Council of Ministers meeting on Friday.
"This bill, which was to mark the third year of subsidy, was part of the federal government's ongoing commitment to the mental health of the population, and more specifically to the psychological support of young people under 25," noted the minister, who said she was “outraged.”
Since its launch, the programme has enabled almost 2,000 young people to benefit from psychological support tailored to their needs. "These figures bear witness to the crucial role played by these initiatives in improving the mental health of the most vulnerable young people," Mrs. Lalieux stressed.
The draft decree submitted to the Council of Ministers on Friday was intended to provide a subsidy of €1.5 million to the public social welfare centres concerned. The subsidy had already been halved due to the current transition period.
"Supporting the mental health of young people means giving them the means to succeed in their studies, to integrate into working life and to escape precariousness," the Minister was quoted as saying in a press release. "This refusal is not only incomprehensible, but also profoundly unfair to a generation already weakened by the COVID-19 crisis."
