We are thoroughly modernising public management in Wallonia and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation: fewer mandates, more open and demanding recruitment, stronger evaluations and pay more closely linked to results. Our goal is clear: attract the best profiles, make public leaders more accountable and strengthen the efficiency of our administrations. Fewer posts. More demands. More results.
The reform led by Jacqueline Galant rests on 4 pillars:
– 1st pillar: Streamlining mandates and top management positions: We are breaking with the long-standing approach of multiplying management posts in the south of the country. We are reducing the number of mandates and top management positions, with a 25% reduction already planned in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. This is a choice for exemplarity, good governance and rigorous management of public resources.
– 2nd pillar: Opening up top management positions to talent from civil society: The reform puts an end to a system that was too closed by opening up top management positions to talent from civil society. The aim is to recruit the best managers, capable of driving change, mobilising teams and achieving results, whatever their professional background.
– 3rd pillar: Strengthening the evaluation of top managers: Our reform establishes a genuine results-based culture: top managers will be monitored and evaluated much more regularly, up to three times a year, on achieving their objectives and the quality of their management. From 2030, part of their pay will be linked to collective objectives, and an unfavourable evaluation may lead to early termination of the mandate.
– 4th pillar: Strengthening the conditions for access to top management posts: Candidates will have to demonstrate solid managerial experience and pass an external, independent and eliminatory assessment. The Government will no longer be able to appoint a candidate deemed unsuitable, which guarantees appointments based more on competence and helps depoliticise appointments.
- The outline of the reform:
This ambitious reform, driven by the MR, is fully in line with the commitments made in the Community and Regional Policy Statements, which provide for more regular evaluation of administrations and greater accountability of their management.
Led by Minister Galant, it is built around four pillars:
1st pillar: Streamlining mandates and top management positions:
The first pillar of this reform consists of an ambitious streamlining of the number of mandates and top management positions.
In the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, the number of mandates will already be reduced by 25%. In Wallonia, the reform still needs to be refined.
This approach responds to a requirement for exemplarity, good governance and responsible use of public resources. For decades, the political response too often consisted of creating new positions and, consequently, new mandates. The MR and Les Engagés are now making the opposite choice: reducing the number of mandates. This marks an unprecedented break with past practices.
2nd pillar: Opening up top management positions to talent from civil society:
The second pillar of the reform aims to further open up access to top management positions to talent from civil society with solid managerial experience.
The goal is clear: at the head of administrations, it is not just a matter of recruiting technical experts, but also leaders capable of mobilising teams, leveraging internal skills, driving change and concretely improving collective performance.
Until now, the CMP[1] has not shown that it can attract, beyond profiles already from the civil service, experienced managers from other sectors. The reform therefore aims to broaden the recruitment pool to give administrations access to the best management skills, whatever the candidates' professional background.
3rd pillar: Strengthening the evaluation of top managers:
The third pillar of the reform concerns greater accountability for top managers and a substantial strengthening of their evaluation.
Whereas they currently undergo only two evaluations over a five-year period, top managers will now be able to be evaluated up to three times a year. This development will allow for more regular monitoring of the achievement of objectives, the quality of management and the smooth running of teams.
From 2030, part of their pay will also be variable and linked to the achievement of pre-set collective objectives. The aim is to embed a genuine results-based culture within administrations, promoting collective performance rather than a purely individual logic.
Finally, an unfavourable evaluation may lead to the early termination of the mandate contract, which is not the case under the current system.
4th pillar: Strengthening the conditions for access to top management posts:
The fourth and final pillar of the reform aims to strengthen the conditions for access to top management positions.
From now on, candidates will have to demonstrate proven experience in leading large teams and pass an assessment organised by an external and independent operator. This requirement aims to ensure that appointees have the managerial skills needed to run complex administrations, mobilise their teams and achieve set objectives.
This assessment will be eliminatory in nature: a candidate deemed unsuitable cannot be appointed by the Government. The Government will therefore no longer be able to deviate from the independent assessment of managerial skills to retain a candidate.
The reform thus represents a major step forward in making appointments more objective and depoliticised. Few governments have so far pushed the requirements for independence, transparency and competence in access to the highest administrative positions this far.
- A thorough transformation of the administration
We are driving a comprehensive reform aimed at thoroughly transforming public management: fewer mandates, higher standards, objectified appointments and a genuine results-based culture.
- More responsibility, an adapted package. Reducing the number of mandates means redistributing tasks and responsibilities. It is therefore consistent to adjust the pay package, while removing certain benefits, including chauffeurs.
- Not one extra euro for the taxpayer. The Financial Inspectorate has twice confirmed that the reform will be budget-neutral in the long term, and may even generate savings. This neutrality results from the reduction in the number of mandates, the removal of benefits and the reorganisation of public management.
- Significant managerial experience required. The reform requires significant managerial experience — from seven to ten years depending on the position — as well as an external, independent and eliminatory assessment. A candidate who is not recommended cannot be appointed.
- Private sector experience is finally recognised. Years of experience gained in the private sector can now be taken into account for access to these positions, on the same basis as experience in the public sector. This genuinely opens up positions to the best profiles, without this recognition automatically affecting the amount of pay.
[1] The Public Management Certificate (CMP) is a training programme from the School of Public Administration that currently allows entry into the pool of candidates qualified to apply for top management positions under the mandate system within the Walloon administrations and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.