“We will indeed have to consume energy intelligently and with common sense”, underlined the president of the MR, Georges-Louis Bouchez, in front of several thousand activists and their families invited to the Adventure Valley park in Durbuy, for the party’s summer holidays. .
“Even less today, there can be no question of waste of all kinds, but do not let yourself be trapped in what some call sobriety: this sobriety, as seen by some of our political opponents, is “is degrowth, it’s consuming less, and therefore living less well. Consumption is certainly not the thread of happiness, but the sobriety of the person that counts to fill up with gas in order to go to work late in the evening or early in the morning, or of those who recommend a walk in the woods to cope with energy prices, this sobriety is the precariousness of the middle and working classes. We can save the climate and preserve our quality of life,” urged Mr. Bouchez.
The MR defends an energy strategy which begins with the extension of five other nuclear reactors and the strengthening of renewables. In this regard, “politically complicated” projects will have to be decided, such as Ventilus or the Loop of Hainaut, he warned, concerning these two high voltage infrastructures necessary for an electricity network adapted to renewables. The recovery plans established a year ago by the governments will also have to be reviewed in the light of the energy and climate emergencies, he claimed.
To respond to the urgency of the bill, the MR defends a special crisis contribution imposed on energy producers. “By 2024, the additional gains from nuclear power will be 9 billion euros. I see the Minister of Energy (Tinne Van der Straeten, Groen, Ed) rejoicing at this, but I still remind her That requires nuclear.” The sector’s contribution would be rebated directly on the bill, for a determined quantity of energy accessible to all Belgians, without differentiation according to salary.
The president of the MR also reaffirmed the need for support for Ukraine, in the face of what he perceives as a certain discouragement. “I sometimes hear questions in support of Ukraine. But this war is our war, for the values of the freedom of peoples to dispose of themselves, the refusal of violence. Yes, the situation is difficult, but don’t give in to the easy belief that a dictator might be allowed to dictate his voice on the world stage, for short-term comfort but great trouble ahead. cost us, more than ever we must stand with Ukraine, because these fundamental values, they will be universal or they will not be.”
The Durbuysian meeting was an opportunity for the MR to present to the militants the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hadja Lahbib, whose surprise appointment had made people cringe internally. The party is also preparing its congress on October 23 in Brussels, which will reform the program. On the menu: limitation of unemployment benefits, measures to fill trades in shortage and lower taxes financed by an increase in the employment rate.