A guest on Bel RTL this week, the Minister for the Self-Employed and SMEs Eléonore Simonet reaffirmed the need to put public finances back on a sound footing, while opposing any tax increase.
Responding to a survey showing that 68% of Belgians favour a reduction in public spending, the Minister said this result confirms the need for structural reforms. “To put the finances in order, you either raise taxes or cut public spending. Since Belgium is already the OECD country that taxes labour income the most, our choice is clear: no to new taxes, and yes to better control of spending,” she said.
According to her, several long-delayed reforms must now finally be implemented. She notably cited pension reform, whose spending now stands at €72 billion and has risen by 38% since 2018, as well as reform of unemployment benefits and long-term sickness benefits.
Regarding the federal administration, the Minister called for a reorganisation aimed at strengthening synergies between services, integrating certain structures and refocusing public action on its core missions.
She also stressed the importance of tackling certain abuses in order to safeguard the sustainability of the social system.
In this regard, she highlighted the situation of long-term sick patients, citing figures from Inami suggesting that nearly a quarter of beneficiaries would be fit to return to work. She also called for a reform of the BIM status, currently enjoyed by around 2.4 million people. “This status must be refocused on those who truly need it,” she said, criticising allocation mechanisms she considers sometimes too automatic.
Finally, the Minister painted a worrying picture of the state of Belgian public finances. With a budget deficit of 5.2% and a debt burden reaching €12.3 billion in 2026, she believes the country can no longer afford to postpone reforms. “If we don't reform today, we're heading straight for a brick wall,” she concluded.