Flemish government struggles to balance budget amid coalition disputes

The Flemish government is facing intense negotiations to balance its budget, needing to find approximately two billion euros to reach equilibrium. As the deadline for the September Declaration approaches, coalition partners remain divided on how to achieve these savings and revenue targets.

Disagreements center on different fiscal priorities: N-VA seeks expenditure cuts, particularly while protecting education spending; Vooruit advocates for protecting the welfare department from being used as a primary source of savings; and CD&V aims to prevent additional tax burdens on the middle class. Potential measures under discussion include adjustments to subsidies, registration duties, inheritance tax, and personal income tax.

Opposition figures, including Vlaams Belang leader Chris Janssens, have criticized the government's approach, suggesting that structural order could be achieved by halving party subsidies and reducing the number of parliament members. Janssens argued that the government must focus on core tasks like education and social housing rather than what he termed ‘cooking apps’ or ‘Tesla cheques’.