RTL TVI broadcast the first major debate between party leaders of 2024 this Tuesday, 16 January. An important election year, as Belgians will vote at every level of power. For over an hour, MR President Georges-Louis Bouchez, alongside the fifty shades of the left, took turns setting out their vision for society. Yet another opportunity to demonstrate that the only possible alternative for our country and our regions is the liberals.
Five themes were at the heart of the discussions: purchasing power, healthcare, the fight against crime, the environment and the quality of the school system. Each leader had one minute to present their respective proposals on the subject. Thirty seconds were dedicated to rebuttal.
Purchasing power
For the MR, it's clear, we must give more purchasing power to those who work! : “The MR is the party of working men and women. We want 10 billion euros less in taxes for those who work! Public finances also need to be put in order.
Instead of digging into our pockets, the left should start by eliminating state waste and limiting the stacking of social benefits. We would gain 20 billion more in state coffers if Wallonia and Brussels had the same employment rate as Flanders. ”
Healthcare
Georges-Louis Bouchez recalled how, in healthcare too, liberal ministers have made a difference: “Our priority at the MR is the family doctor, the first line of care. That's why Pierre-Yves Jeholet and Valérie Glatigny managed to secure an unprecedented increase in INAMI numbers. We need more doctors! But it's necessary to limit the number of students for a simple reason: they will have to complete internships.
So it's very nice to tell people there will be no limit, but no, practical limits are necessary.
We also need to work more efficiently on the sub-quotas, and encourage trainee doctors to go to rural areas, where access to medicine is more limited.
Finally, Belgium is one of the countries in the world that spends the most on healthcare. However, we are below the European average when it comes to prevention. That starts at school. ”.
Without forgetting to redefine the missions of health insurance funds by strictly limiting them to their role of reimbursing care and supporting patients. This would reduce costs while avoiding conflicts of interest. ”
Fight against crime
On this third theme, the MR President immediately highlighted the laxity of the 50 shades of the left towards justice: “The issue of insecurity and justice is a perfect illustration of the 50 shades of the left!
I invite viewers to get out their calculators, because all parties always want to refinance, but where does the money go?! We are one of the countries that spends the most public money. In terms of justice, when a police officer arrests the same person ten times, because the PS and Ecolo oppose tougher sentencing and faster convictions. When people convicted of murder are granted leave to see a psychologist instead of serving their sentence…
We want stricter rules. We want a safer Belgium, thanks to a strong and clear policy, unlike a constantly lax left. I call for recovering the proceeds of crime to give to the police and justice system.
Resources also need to be redirected. The core state functions represent 10 billion, social affairs 100 billion! These budgets need to be reviewed. ”
Environment
The climate is too serious a subject to leave to Ecolo. In this fight, it is important and necessary to rely on scientific data rather than dogma. This is a real problem today in decision-making on this theme: “ 75% of CO2 emissions are linked to energy. We need nuclear power, not gas plants; we need new nuclear power and to extend existing plants. Public transport supply needs to be reviewed: on average 17% occupancy per bus, so many lines with too few people, which pollutes more… Below 10 people per bus, there's no environmental gain. ”
And he added: “Adding an extra carbon tax, on top of existing taxation, would risk mainly penalising the middle class, exactly where tax pressure needs to be reduced. Regarding the CO2 quotas proposed by Les Engagés, a punitive approach that discriminates based on where you live is not a solution.
We need to direct our efforts towards strategic investments and technological innovation to promote the ecological transition. ”
Quality of the school system
The final subject dealt with education: “Education is the foremost social policy. The greatest tragedy is cultural and social precariousness. The MR wants to lower compulsory schooling to age 3, and check in the 3rd year of primary school through an external exam that our children can read, write and count. By age 15, 1 in 2 pupils in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation has already repeated a year.
Teachers and school management also need to be supported and respected.
Bringing back values, the sense of work, having grades, and if necessary sometimes punishments. That's not old-fashioned. We must stop with these supposedly progressive grand ideas that have ultimately destroyed education.
Today, without mechanics, carpenters and bricklayers, there is no wellbeing. There is no quality of life. It's about revaluing the trades of manual intelligence ”.