The MR group in the Chamber is calling for public subsidies to be granted with discernment to associations that respect democratic values.
During the plenary session of the Chamber, MR federal MP Victoria Vandeberg demanded guarantees from the government regarding the funding of non-profit organisations supporting the Code Rouge movement.
“Freedom of expression and the right to demonstrate are pillars of our democracy. However, they cannot justify calls for violence or acts of destruction.” The liberal MP notably recalled the actions carried out at the ArcelorMittal site in Charleroi in October 2025 and the Cargill site in Ghent in March 2025, where OCAD/OCAM stressed that a deadly disaster had narrowly been avoided.
“However, one must distinguish between protest, even fierce protest, and acts of violence or destruction,” insisted Victoria Vandeberg. For the MR, public support for community organisations is not in question. However, it comes with a responsibility: funds must be allocated with full transparency, used in line with their purpose and subject to effective oversight.
In his response, Minister Prévot indicated that the 2027-2031 subsidy programmes were still under review and that his services would take into account any judicial or administrative decisions specifically targeting non-profit organisations in their future decisions.
The MR group now expects these commitments to be put into practice, as it seems entirely contradictory for public funding to support movements that pose a danger to our society. “Within the legal framework and constitutional guarantees, public money cannot support organisations that are established to encourage violence or undermine democratic values,” concludes Victoria Vandeberg.