Prime Minister Bart De Wever delivers a sober policy statement: "Labour today, reward tomorrow"

In his address to Parliament, Prime Minister Bart De Wever painted a sobering picture of the country's current state. His State of the Union speech struck a careful balance between realism and hope.
“With the reforms and consolidation efforts this government is implementing, we’ve set ourselves on the right path. But the road ahead remains long and difficult.”

Drawing parallels with the 1990s

He opened with a stark comparison: “While drafting this budget, I kept thinking back to the 1990s. Back then, Belgium was also facing deep red deficits. I dare say the challenge we face today is even greater.”

De Wever pointed to an economic context that is “even more challenging than in the 90s,” coupled with a demographic shift that is “turning our population pyramid upside down.”

“Unless we take decisive and sustained action, we risk, for the first time since the Industrial Revolution, a structural decline in prosperity—and with it, in wellbeing.”

“We are paying the price for past procrastination”

According to the Prime Minister, the previous government stacked up risks without addressing them: “Low productivity growth and weak labour participation, combined with soaring social costs—that's a recipe for disaster.” Without intervention, the Monitoring Committee projected the deficit would climb to 6% of GDP The gross domestic product (GDP) is the total monetary value of all goods and services produced within a country, both by companies and the government. This term is usually used as a benchmark for a country’s prosperity. This is why the N-VA closely follows the evolution of the Belgian GDP. GDP by 2029.

This is why the government is now opting for a multi-year budget strategy extending through 2029. “No more delay.”

Painful choices—because there’s no alternative

De Wever invoked the myth of Hercules to describe the government's decision: “The Greek hero was forced to choose between two paths, each represented by a goddess: one by the deceitful Kakia, offering a life of ease and indulgence; the other by the virtuous Aretè, pointing to a steep, narrow road. She embodied the timeless truth that true happiness comes only through hard work and perseverance. Labore et constantia.”

And the message was clear: “We didn’t choose the easy road. We chose the Herculean task of a long-term budget plan. But let there be no illusion: in Belgium, Mount Olympus is still a long way off.”

There are no painless solutions left. “Looking away for too long has made it impossible to draft a budget without hard choices.”

Spending cuts at the core of the deal

Savings are at the heart of the agreement: over €2.7 billion through efficiency gains and a reduction in the number of civil servants. In addition, there will be a one-off wage and benefit indexation freeze above the median in 2026 and 2028.

Politics, too, will cut back on itself. “We’re setting the tone and going further than any other sector: politicians’ salaries will not be indexed throughout the next term, just as party funding has already been frozen. The government will apply this to itself and urges Parliament to do the same.” This comes on top of earlier decisions to reduce ministerial, cabinet, and parliamentary expenses.

Stricter rules for the long-term sick and unemployed

De Wever stressed that Belgium now has over half a million long-term sick individuals—a figure he called “multiples higher than in neighbouring countries.” He announced tighter supervision and reintegration efforts.

“Those who are genuinely ill will always be protected by our solidarity. But we will now apply stricter and more frequent controls.”
By 2029, these measures are expected to yield €2 billion in savings.

The unemployment system is also being overhauled: “Unemployment benefits must act as a springboard—not a hammock.” The maximum duration of unemployment benefits will be limited to two years.

Work must pay off again

Throughout his speech, De Wever returned to one central theme: making work worthwhile again.
From voluntary overtime and higher ceilings for flexi-jobs and student work, to pensioners who, starting in 2027, will be able to continue working under a flat 30% tax rate while keeping their pension entitlements.

Thanks to labour market reforms and tax adjustments, everyone in work will have, on average, about €1,000 more net income per year by 2030.

The bottom line: debt growth down by €32 billion

The Prime Minister announced over €9 billion in additional structural savings by 2029.

“Across the full legislative term, this plan reduces debt growth by another €17 billion. Combined with the €15 billion we’ve already saved, that brings the total to €32 billion,” De Wever explained.

This, he said, is how Belgium plans to stay out of the EU’s penalty zone and send a strong signal to international markets.

The Prime Minister closed his speech with a clear warning: “There’s no cause for celebration—only a reason to keep working hard. Labour today, reward tomorrow.”