The Mouvement Réformateur firmly advocates increasing defence spending to 2% of GDP as quickly as possible, in line with commitments made to NATO. Our country's security and international credibility are at stake. The USA are our allies, but it is important for Europe to be able to take charge of itself without relying on others.
Denis Ducarme had, moreover, argued in Parliament on behalf of the MR for a faster increase in the defence budget, as our country remains among NATO's worst performers.
European countries must take on a greater share of the protection of their territory and economy through credible deterrence. We must show more loyalty and predictability towards our European and Atlantic partners.
Given the strategic context, deterrence and defence must once again become priority tasks. We must therefore rebuild Belgian Defence. Belgium is currently one of the worst performers in the class. This is problematic for our credibility as an Ally, especially since we host both NATO headquarters and SHAPE.
The MR wants to increase the European Union's role within NATO and on the world stage by speaking with one voice. The veto right in defence and security policy must be abolished, as it hinders our capacity for common action, and the role of the High Representative and the European External Action Service must be strengthened. Finally, we need to strengthen cooperation between European armies and double the common military defence budget. At Belgian level, we advocate the following acquisitions: additional fighter jets, a third frigate, arming all acquired drone systems, and joining development programmes for tomorrow's mechanised weapon systems. Only on this condition can we hold our place in securing the European continent and, more broadly, the world. By 2040, Belgium must be able to provide the Atlantic Alliance with a mechanised brigade. To this end, military personnel, currently at 24,000 full-time equivalents, must reach 35,000 by 2035 and 40,000 by 2040. These defence investments must also generate economic returns for our regions.
Serving one's country and defending it against external aggression is, moreover, one of the noblest missions. We must stand alongside our soldiers and be able to thank them by supporting them as proactively as possible.
The MR wants to reach 35,000 full-time equivalents in Defence by 2035, so that our country can meet its international commitments. To this end, a series of urgent incentive measures must be taken. We want to put an end to the limited-duration status (LDS), which does not offer sufficient career prospects. We also propose exempting citizens who take on a military commitment and serve for a certain number of years from SELOR tests in the Federal Public Administration. Citizens who wish to join the Reserve should be encouraged, with facilities for compensatory leave days, both in the public service and the private sector.
The MR advocates the reintroduction of a voluntary 12-month military service for young women and men aged 18 to 25, followed by retention in the Reserve for a (renewable) period of 10 years. This voluntary military service would allow Defence to retain its personnel and offer career prospects to a wide variety of profiles. It would also enable Defence to play its traditional role in society by welcoming and supporting young people, giving them a framework of shared values, manners, knowledge and skills that will serve them in all aspects of their lives.
At the same time, we support the development of a generalised voluntary citizen service, particularly within public services. It is a tool for empowerment and guidance requiring a clearly defined and evaluated status for its operation and its interactions with the various levels of government. It is important to ensure the complementarity of the citizen service with other initiatives to avoid any competition or negative effect. The skills acquired during this service should be valued by young people in their job search.