“A golden cage that has become far too beautiful”: a Belgian economist wants to “abolish” the status of civil servant which has “no longer any meaning”

Belgian civil servants benefit from increasing salaries and benefits, surpassing those of the private sector. Economist Rudy Aernoudt believes it is time to reform an “outdated” system.

According to a Jobat survey, the public sector has become one of the most generous employers in Belgium. Since 2020, civil servants’ salaries have jumped by almost 30%, reaching a median salary of 4,842 euros gross per month. This represents an increase of 1,042 euros in just three years. Meanwhile, private sector employees have seen their remuneration increase more modestly by 15%, with a current median salary of 3,932 euros gross. This difference of 919 euros per month arouses criticism.

A system out of control

Rudy Aernoudt, professor of economics at the University of Ghent, explains in the columns of HLN that the public sector escapes the budgetary constraints which weigh on private companies. “Rapid indexations, increases linked to seniority and the lack of cost control are widening the gap with the private sector”he says. He adds that this situation harms the competitiveness of companies, already faced with a tight labor market.

Civil servants also benefit from ten additional days of leave on average compared to private sector employees, and their pension is almost twice as high. In addition, their employment is protected by a status which makes dismissals almost impossible. For Rudy Aernoudt, this slows down the dynamics of the labor market: “Civil servants remain in their ‘golden cage’, which has become far too beautiful, for fear of losing their many advantages”.

“The status of civil servant is almost two hundred years old and no longer has any meaning. Let’s abolish it! In the private sector, no one is sure of keeping their job if the company does poorly. Why create a class that escapes this rule?”he asks himself. This approach has already been partially adopted in Flanders, where only contractual appointments are now offered.

The Itinera think tank recently calculated that Belgium has almost a million civil servants, a number that is constantly increasing. Rudy Aernoudt warns: “This model is expensive and inefficient. If nothing changes, it will continue to weigh on the economy and private businesses. Our public sector has become obese”.

state official