The centrality of Liège attracts 640,000 inhabitants, a large metropolis burden that she would like to make a subsidier

In Liège, after two evenings of debate, the 2025 budget was finally voted on Wednesday evening. Majority against opposition. A particularly difficult budget that has asked the majority PS + – committed – Mr to find many reduction in expenses and new revenues … We have already told you about it. But for the city, it will not be enough for the future. The budget has come close to the cessation of payments: it must be refined in depth. The bourgmestre PS Willy Demeyer wants to have the large metropolis charges assumed by the city recognized and in office, refinance it by the regional and the federal.

2.25: Liège has the highest rate of centrality in Wallonia

“We have a population of just under 200,000 inhabitants, but the Walloon Institute of Statistics shows that 640,000 people are turned to Liège for services, culture, teaching, work, leisure. This makes a 2.25 report between the non -Liège who come to Liège and the population of the city.” It is therefore the highest rate in Wallonia. In comparison, this rate is 1.66 for Mons, 0.82 for Charleroi, 0.63 for Tournai 0.61 for Namur.

The city hopes to negotiate several million subsidies with the region

And on the other hand, the bourgmestre points to the underestimation of the resident Liège population: “18,000 Kotor students reside in Liège without being domiciled there. We can also add to the territory 7000 people undocumented so that puts us in largely 221,000 inhabitants, which would also allow, if it was better recognized, to be better subsidized. If our centrality charges are not recognized by the various governments, then we will no longer be able to get out of it and we will have to find other strategies.” The city hopes in this way that the charges of pensions, the responsibility of empowerment which amounts to several tens of millions of euros, are the subject of negotiations with the region.

Diana Nikolic MR: “I am hopeful that Liège could be heard”

For the group leader in Liège, Diana Nikolic – whose party, unlike the PS, is part of the Walloon government, “This is the first time that the city of Liège can really defend its specificity compared to other major cities, such as Charleroi in particular. And very clearly at the level of the region, the MR said and the MR the fact:” We stop with dusting and sub-road. “And therefore, if Liège can identify specific needs, I hope that Liège could be heard.”