Charleroi Mayor: Abolish the Wallonia-Brussels Federation

Charleroi Mayor Thomas Dermine has called for the abolition of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (FWB), describing the institution as “inefficient and obsolete” in an interview on RTBF’s “Matin Première” program. The Socialist Party mayor’s remarks have reignited a long-simmering debate about the efficiency of Belgium’s famously complex institutional architecture.

The Core Argument

Dermine, who leads Belgium’s second-largest Walloon city with a population exceeding 210,000, argues that the FWB is structurally flawed. “The Wallonia-Brussels Federation is a shaky construction,” he told journalist Thomas Gadisseux. “90% of its budget is education. It has no fiscal resources. And so, when we have to make savings, we make them on education.”

This paradox lies at the heart of Dermine’s critique: the FWB is responsible for the most expensive area of social policy — education — yet possesses virtually no fiscal autonomy. It depends entirely on transfers from the federal level and the Walloon Region, meaning budget cuts inevitably target the classroom.

A System Under Strain

The debate comes at a particularly tense moment for the French-speaking community. In October 2025, the FWB government under Minister-President Elisabeth Degryse (Les Engagés) announced 500 million euros in savings through 2029. Teacher strikes have since erupted across the French-speaking community, with Dermine explicitly voicing support for the movement. “The majority of schools are on strike in Charleroi. Personally, I support the teachers’ action,” he said.

Dermine framed the budget cuts as ideological choices rather than fiscal necessities. “Nothing is budgetary, everything is ideological,” he argued, pointing to what he sees as a stark contrast: the elimination of 100,000 free meals for disadvantaged children saving 15 million euros, while a registration fee reform costing 300 million euros “only benefits wealthy property owners.”

Why Two Governments?

Belgium’s federal structure is notoriously complex, the product of decades of state reforms designed to accommodate tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemish community (~6.5 million) and the French-speaking community (~4.5 million). For French-speaking Belgians, this has created a dual institutional layer: the Walloon Region, which handles territorial matters like economy and housing, and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, which manages person-related matters such as education, culture, and scientific research.

“We must ask ourselves why there are two governments,” Dermine said. “Why aren’t there more synergies? Today, the Wallonia-Brussels Federation is inefficient and obsolete.” He noted that for a small French-speaking region of 4.5 million inhabitants, the institutional complexity has become unsustainable.

Political Context and Obstacles

Dermine’s proposal arrives at a politically charged moment. The center-right MR-Les Engagés coalition governs both the FWB and the Walloon Region, while Dermine is a prominent Socialist figure. The broader Walloon fiscal situation remains precarious, with the region facing billions in required savings.

However, abolishing the FWB faces significant hurdles. The institution serves French-speakers in both Wallonia and Brussels, meaning any reform would need to address the Brussels dimension. Furthermore, any institutional change in French-speaking Belgium inevitably affects the broader federal balance and could trigger demands from Flanders. Major reforms also require special majority laws in the federal parliament.

Dermine acknowledged these challenges but noted that many changes could be made without a federal constitutional reform. “It’s easier to work among French-speakers than with the Flemish,” he said, suggesting that competencies could be transferred from the FWB to the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region through intergovernmental agreements.

Credibility Through Austerity

Dermine’s critique carries weight because Charleroi has itself implemented significant budget cuts. The city has made over 7% in savings — five times more than the Walloon Region — reducing staff by 30% in recent years and operating with 200 euros per inhabitant in operating costs, a third less than the Walloon average. “We have no lessons to receive from any municipality,” Dermine asserted.

What’s Next

The proposal is likely to spark intense debate within French-speaking political circles but faces an uncertain future. The MR and Les Engagés, who currently govern the FWB, are unlikely to support its abolition. No official response from Minister-President Elisabeth Degryse has yet been reported.

What is clear is that Dermine has opened a conversation that touches on fundamental questions about Belgium’s institutional future. With Flanders pushing for greater autonomy and the French-speaking community confronting severe budget constraints, the efficiency of maintaining separate regional and community institutions is increasingly being questioned — and this time, the question comes from a Socialist mayor with the fiscal credentials to back it up.