The expensive Vivaldi government citizen survey is money wasted

The De Croo government is launching a citizen survey on the future of Belgium. Cost: EUR 2.1 million, aside from the EUR 3 million for the media campaign, but according to MP Sander Loones, it is money wasted. “The government itself has already indicated that it does not feel bound by the results of the survey, because the results will “not be representative”. Parliament was also not given any insight into the details of the survey. The website seems to be mainly a clicking machine. You are not allowed to express your opinion on the current policy of the De Croo government. Then why would you even bother to participate?” asks MP Sander Loones.

The citizen survey was announced in the coalition agreement. An accessible website was promised, but this approach with open questions seems to be mainly aimed at citizens who are already very interested in politics. There were supposed to be videos to make everything understandable, but they aren’t available. The start of a parliamentary guidance process was also announced, but again: there is still no sign of it.

Essential questions skilfully avoided

Sander Loones previously argued in parliament for institutional issues to be made concrete so that everyone could express their opinions easily and clearly. “Should Flanders be able to build its own nuclear power stations or not? Be able to implement its own stricter migration policy? Be able to improve our pensions ourselves? These are examples of questions that go to the essence, that are tangible for everyday life,” says Sander Loones. “But these essential questions are skilfully excluded by the government. De Croo is afraid that the citizen survey will result in a referendum on her policy. And the De Croo government apparently does not dare to risk that. This doesn’t exude much faith in one’s own coalition government choices.” The website even literally states: “Themes and choices made in the coalition agreement are not part of this survey.”

No respect for parliament

Sander Loones is also surprised by the press conference that launched the survey. “The whole exercise is supervised by a scientific committee. I have been asking for months to invite them to the Chamber of Deputies for an exchange of views. This has been blocked by ministers Verlinden and Clarinval for months. Those experts are apparently welcome at the press conference, but not in parliament. A government that claims to want to show respect for the opinion of the people could perhaps also show some respect for the elected parliament? Why doesn’t the government dare to engage in the debate?”