As a political autumn marked by budgetary decisions approaches, Walloon Minister-President Adrien Dolimont sets the tone. Questioned by La Libre, he points out that public money cannot systematically be the solution to every challenge. According to him, the real responsibility of public authorities is to support citizens through the transition rather than multiplying cheques without a long-term vision.
On the climate issue, he stands by his government's approach: maintaining ambitious targets while rethinking the tools. The current insulation bonus scheme, still in force, remains one of the most generous in the country. But for Dolimont, it is now time for a change of paradigm and to prepare a more stable system, more closely linked to loans and the involvement of private capital. "Is it normal for some people to claim €150,000 in bonuses? No," he insists. The idea is to design fair, sustainable and lasting support measures.
Beyond energy, the minister also wants to modernise the way the administration works by breaking with purely political appointments. For him, competence and loyalty must take precedence over party affiliation. While he acknowledges that changing the administrative culture will be difficult, he believes it is necessary to try a different approach, in order to open the door to new and diverse profiles.
There remains the 2026 budget challenge, which looks set to be tough. Dolimont does not hide the difficulty: some savings are already in place, such as reduced allocations and non-indexation for public bodies, but further efforts will be needed. The exercise, he says, will be demanding but unavoidable: it is about ensuring that regional finances remain sound and can continue to support economic and social priorities.
Regarding the recent tensions with RTBF, the minister calls for discernment. He considers it legitimate to seek clarifications when trust has been lost, but also points out that dialogue with the media remains essential in a democracy. Verbal excesses, he says, can happen to anyone, but must be owned up to.
In this tense context, Adrien Dolimont defends a clear line: reform without complacency, stay the budgetary course and support the transition responsibly. No unlimited distribution of public money, but measures designed to last and to engage both businesses and citizens over the long term.