In an interview with Sudinfo, Jacqueline Galant announces the upcoming submission of a draft text aimed at introducing total neutrality in Walloon public services and those of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. This text will be presented to the governments concerned by the end of the first half of 2026.
“Religion has no business in public services”: the reform rests on three clear pillars. Guaranteeing equality among all citizens, strengthening trust in the administration and definitively clarifying the rules to preserve cohesion.
For the minister, it is time to break a taboo: “For years, no one has dared to raise this debate, and it must be said, sometimes out of electoral calculation”. The aim is to make public service a neutral, shared and unifying space, where every citizen is treated equally, regardless of their beliefs, origin or religion.
The reform will apply to all services covered by the Civil Service Code (SPW, Forem, IFAPME…). It is part of a broader aim: to guarantee the impartiality of the State and strengthen trust between citizens and the administration. Jacqueline Galant is also calling for consistency at all levels of government: if Wallonia and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation move forward, Brussels must follow.