UPDATEThe plans of pension minister Karine Lalieux (PS) have already caused a lot of commotion. Not only because they take a long time to arrive, but also because they would cost more than they yield. However, Lalieux does not seem to want to save money and points to the rising employment rate to pay for her pension reform. “Stop scaring people,” she responds. At the same time, she gives MR chairman Bouchez a sneer: “He needs to calm down.”
The financial situation of Belgium is “dramatic”, MR chairman Bouchez said on VTM NEWS on Sunday. He advocates reforms to address the situation. According to him, however, PS is blocking that. This weekend he accused the Minister of Work Pierre-Yves Dermagne (PS) of holding back the reform of the labor market. “What does he do with his days?” said Bouchez in an interview with ‘Le Soir’. The statement provoked anger from the Minister of Pensions Karine Lalieux (PS). “He needs to calm down,” she said in an interview with ‘RTL INFO. “These are disturbing comments from a coalition partner. It’s disrespectful and condescending.”
LOOK. Bouchez on Belgium’s financial situation: “The only solution is to implement reforms, but the PS does not want that”
But there is indeed cause for concern about the budget deficit. The federal government will consider the March budget review in the coming weeks. “There is no room for new policy”, State Secretary for the Budget Alexia Bertrand (Open Vld) warned earlier, but our pensions are also in danger of becoming unaffordable? Lalieux soothes the concern: “How will we pay the pensions tomorrow? Not by sowing fear , but by increasing the employment rate”.
The employment rate rose to 72.3 percent in the last quarter of 2022, her party colleague Dermagne announced on Sunday morning. An employment rate of 80 percent is “within reach” if the increase continues at the current rate, the PS deputy prime minister said. “Have you seen the results?” Lalieux adds. “We have never had so many Belgians at work today. That’s what the pensions will pay for. So stop scaring people,” she said.
It is already the third time that Minister Lalieux has attempted to get a pension reform approved by the government. However, the reform will be parked until after the holidays, the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed. There is pressure on the file. If there is no (more in-depth) pension reform before the summer, Belgium will miss out on several hundred million euros in European recovery subsidies.
LOOK. Explained in 3 minutes: the Lalieux pension plan
We live beyond our means more than ever. Where does the Belgian budget derail the worst? And how will citizens feel that? (+)
Before the summer, it’s all over for these four crucial files: Vivaldi faces her final exams (+)
LOOK ALSO. At the end of last year, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open Vld) also said he believed in the employment rate of 80 percent
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and don’t miss a thing of the stars.