“The State no longer scares delinquents”
“We have more police officers than all the neighboring countries,” notes Georges-Louis Bouchez. “Our police officers are sucked in by administrative burdens. We want heavy and above all enforceable sanctions. Today, the State no longer scares delinquents.”
“The problem is not only in Brussels,” explains the president of Ecolo. “We need a real clean-hands operation in Belgium, in drug and arms trafficking. When we want to sweep a staircase, we start at the top, we must reverse the burden of proof.”
8:01 p.m.
Second theme: drugs, this danger
How to fight against this scourge? Maxime Prévot wants more police officers. “Citizens are worried, insecurity is increasing, unease is spreading. We must act upstream, in the heart of the neighborhood. It is abnormal that the prison has become a school of crime,” he notes.
On the PTB side, we must attack the Source: the port of Antwerp. “We must strengthen customs, put resources there. Finally, we must lift banking secrecy. Al Capone was caught because the transactions were detected.”
8:00 p.m.
Défi wants to tax in income
To finance this, François De Smet wants to tackle crime. “We have to get this money from the super-criminals. We are asking for the creation of a national financial prosecutor’s office, as France has done, which brings in billions,” he notes. “Just do the same thing, and it will provide a huge boost.
For Maxime Prévot, the tax on the super-rich is not the solution. “Today, many are on sick leave because of health care. So we need to tackle this. Health issues are essential.”
7:57 p.m.
“It’s time to make the super-rich pay”
For Raoul Hedebouw, the solution is simple. “The rich are getting richer, so we have to get the money there. All the parties voted against it, but we can do it in the future,” he believes.
7:57 p.m.
How to finance this?
To increase these salaries, money is needed. How to do ? “By making greater contributions to the 2-3% of the richest people,” announces Paul Magnette (PS).
7:53 p.m.
“Let’s give businesses some breathing space”
“When I hear that we want an increase in wages for companies, entrepreneurs must be able to do it and therefore give them the means to do it,” believes François De Smet. “In terms of labor, administrative burden, in particular. Let’s give companies breathing room to increase salaries.”
7:51 p.m.
Ecolo wants to invest, invest, invest
Jean-Marc Nollet estimates that to face economic and climate challenges, 15 billion euros must be invested. “We must offer it to citizens, to insulate the house, to increase the supply of public transport. Investing is our priority,” he says.
7:50 p.m.
Attacks between Magnette and Bouchez
“Talking about work when you are mayor of a city (Charleroi) where one in two people does not work is very funny. Paul Magnette has been lying for months,” says Georges-Louis Bouchez. “The big difference between the left and us is that we want to grant this increase to the middle class.”
7:47 p.m.
“The MR, a true workers’ party”
Georges-Louis Bouchez, president of the MR, mentions a simple rule: a minimum difference of 500 euros between someone who works and an unemployed person. “We finance it by better supporting job seekers and by being stricter: people are not sick and have certificates of convenience, some should work, they can afford it.”
“As a labor party, we defend workers,” notes Raoul Hedebouw of the PTB. “I propose a liberalization of salaries, so that they can increase, as well as a tax reform.”
7:44 p.m.
“Central theme”
On the socialist side, Paul Magnette believes that this is the central theme of these elections. “Workers must be able to negotiate wage increases. We also want a tax reform so that workers can earn 300 euros net per month. There will be no socialists in governments without this reform!”
Among the Engagés, Maxime Prévot wants a “credible” reform. “We want a net difference of 450 euros for people who work compared to people who do not work,” he explains.
7:50 p.m.
First theme: purchasing power
This is the number one concern of Belgians: what will happen to their wallets after June 9? It is Jean-Marc Nollet who begins the debate: “For us, the priority is to increase salaries, so that people can find oxygen. We go up to 350 euros more”, explains- he.
“We need a tax reform that makes the system fairer, by simplifying the lives of workers,” continues François De Smet, of Défi.
7:23 p.m.
To be continued on RTL-TVI and RTL Play
This debate, which will last about an hour, is visible on RTL TVI and on RTL Play. On this live, we will come back to the highlights and opinions of the show.
7:20 p.m.
The final debate
This Thursday, the 6 presidents of the major parties meet one last time before the European, federal and regional elections which will take place this Sunday, June 9.
Jean-Marc Nollet (Ecolo), Raoul Hedebouw (MR), Georges-Louis Bouchez (MR), François De Smet (Défi), Maxime Prévot (les Engagés) and Paul Magnette (PS) will face our journalists Christophe Deborsu and Martin Buxant.
This debate presents itself as the last opportunity for party presidents to make themselves heard and assert their convictions. Four themes will be on the program to convince: the first is obviously purchasing power, money, taxation, what is or will be in your wallet at the end of the month. This is the dominant theme of the electoral campaign.
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