A guest on the programme “Parlons Solutions”, broadcast on RTBF this Wednesday, the Federal Minister for the Self-Employed, SMEs and the Middle Classes, Eléonore Simonet, was able to exchange with young people on the topics that concern them.
The Minister pointed out that young people have the right to make their voice heard, that democracy and dialogue take place between all generations, but without violence, and that the best way to help young people is not to leave them a country in ruins.
She also explained that she had reformed the student self-employed status following her contacts with young people on the ground.
On mental health, the Minister said she was pleased to note that the subject was no longer taboo, that all Governments had made it a priority and that a recent assessment by the NIHDI had shown that the reform of first-line psychological care had been positive, with a growing number of citizens finding their way to a professional.
Finally, regarding the shortage of student housing, she stated:
“The solution for access to housing, and particularly for rent costs, is supply. The more supply you have, the more prices will fall. We saw this, for example, in a city like Kortrijk, where housing supply increased and prices fell. That's what we need to work on. And how do we do that? Through construction, financial incentives for renovation and speeding up permits, which is what we are doing. We need to be able to create housing. And be careful with this idea of rent caps, because we saw it in France and Spain: they wanted to cap rents, and as a result, investors withdrew and there was a shortage of flats on the market. And a shortage means higher rents. That may not be a good solution.”
To watch the debate again: