Bart De Wever sets out the main points in his New Year’s message: “It is time to choose. To choose Flanders.”

“It is time,” Bart De Wever says in his New Year’s message. “Time for Vivaldi to come to an end. Time to choose. Only the choice for Confederalism If we want to make structural changes, then we have to change the structures. Confederalism is the structural change that this country needs. The basic principle of confederalism is that Flanders and Wallonia are the owners of all powers. They exercise these themselves, but can also make decisions together and manage certain powers together at the confederal level, in both of their interests. This completely reverses the logic. Instead of transferring federal powers to Flanders and Wallonia, these powers can be transferred to the confederal level. Forced cooperation is replaced by voluntary cooperation. Must becomes will. Dismantling from above becomes building up from below. Confederalism is therefore deciding together on what we want to do together. confederalism gives Flanders the self-determination to take back control of our future. We must go all out for it.”

Bart De Wever delivered his New Year’s message on camera without an audience for the second year in a row. Nevertheless, he sounded optimistic about the course of the pandemic: “There is a glimmer of hope. In the first place, thanks to the Flemish people, who turned out in great numbers to be vaccinated and thus protected themselves against serious illness and death. If we are lucky, experts say COVID-19 will soon become an endemic rather than a pandemic. And then we can deal with it as we do with the annual flu. Then, at last, life free of restrictions beckons again.”

Between the devil and the deep blue sea

But it is not only our daily lives that must return to normal. Bart De Wever says this also applies to the political debate, which has been heavily polarised by the coronavirus, with extreme positions on both sides. “The N-VA was often between the devil and the deep blue sea in that polarisation,” says Bart De Wever. In his speech, he also referred to the difficult position in which the Flemish Government often found itself during this crisis: “Not all of the decisions were the decisions of our hearts.”

Flanders continued to govern

“But,” he says, “we did continue to govern in Flanders.” The Chairman referred to various Flemish files that were successfully concluded: the budget discussions, the recovery plan, a feasible and affordable climate plan and activation measures, such as the wage Bonus Career break for the calculation of, specifically, civil servant’s pension. In order to obtain the annual pension amount in the public sector, the reference salary is multiplied by the number of employment years. That result is then multiplied by the 1/60 career break, the so-called bonus. An advantageous break applies for certain employees, so that they can reach the maximum pension more quickly. bonus and compulsory community service after long-term unemployment. But also the compulsory language screening in the third nursery school class, with which our Flemish integration policy is being introduced into education: “Because the Dutch language connects us all.”

Mistake of the century

On the other hand, Bart De Wever had harsh words regarding the Vivaldi federal government: “It is at a standstill despite the approaching abyss. There will be no vitally needed reforms of our labour market and our Social security Social security is currently managed at the Federal level in Belgium. The most important pillars of Belgian social security are: sickness and invalidity insurance (NIDHI), pensions, unemployment insurance and child allowances. In addition, occupational illness, occupational accidents and annual holidays are dealt with at this level. Some Flemish parties have been campaigning for years for (large parts of) social security to be transferred to the Regions and Communities. social security . We are heading for the largest budget deficit in all of Europe. People’s savings are vanishing into thin air while supermarket prices are skyrocketing. And then this Vivaldi government is going to get rid of the cheapest and most climate-friendly energy source and make us dependent on polluting gas. The mistake of the century.”

Clear choice

Despite the great sacrifices that Flanders is making, Bart De Wever sees that in the 21st century, it is already the tenth year that the federal government does not have a Flemish majority. “We are not getting any respect.” The N-VA chairman is therefore calling for a clear choice to be made. A choice for Flanders. “It is time to choose. The Vivaldi government must come to an end.” The chairman already sees the upcoming internal elections as an ideal first springboard to strengthen our departments. And in the course of this year, the road towards the major party congress in May 2023 will follow. “We must go all out for it!”