“The different levels of government are held in a vice. This leads to immobility, indecision and annoyance”, he declared during a speech delivered in Kortrijk on the occasion of the start of the festivities of July 11, the date which commemorates in the north of the country the battle of the Golden Spurs, on July 11, 1302 in Kortrijk.
“We live in a country with two democracies, a country where the two peoples disagree on how to handle the problems,” said Mr. Jambon, taking up a refrain regularly mentioned by his party president, Bart De Wever, who combines the leadership of the nationalist party with the post of burgomaster of Antwerp.
The Minister-President spoke about the organization of the labor market, the affordability of pensions, health care, the problems within the judicial system, the question of migration, the huge energy problem – which according to him divides the two Communities.
“The visions between the North and the South are still very different. Everyone recognizes this. And no one denies that things cannot continue like this and that major reforms are therefore necessary. In particular to safeguard our prosperity and our future” , said Mr. Jambon.
He also stressed that “our Walloon neighbours” have every right to want to pursue a policy different from that which the majority of Flemings defend. “Every nation should be able to decide for itself what is best, every nation has the right to self-government,” he said.
Mr Jambon called for an end to “this untenable situation” after the next federal election in 2024.
“We now have to prepare for the inevitable negotiations about what we still want to do together and what really isn’t working anymore,” he said, looking ahead to the 2024 post-election and possible seventh state reform.