Walloons Want Tax Cuts and More Spending, Survey Reveals

Walloon residents are the most likely in Belgium to prioritize tax cuts, yet they simultaneously demand increased state spending — a fiscally contradictory position that poses a challenge for the country’s austerity-focused government. The findings come from the 2026 National Budget Survey (“Enquête nationale 2026”), conducted by the University of Antwerp (UA) and the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) for RTBF, VRT, and De Standaard.

The Survey: Methodology and Context

The survey polled 5,354 voting-age Belgians online from March 9 to April 5, 2026, against a backdrop of significant economic turbulence. The newly formed Arizona coalition government — led by Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) — was implementing austerity measures, while the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following US-Israeli military action against Iran triggered energy price shocks.

Respondents were asked to rank four budget priorities: cutting taxes, improving public services, reducing debt, and funding new investments. The results reveal stark regional differences in fiscal preferences.

Regional Divide on Tax Cuts

When asked to prioritize tax reductions, 40% of Walloon respondents placed tax cuts first — far higher than in Brussels (33%) or Flanders (25%). The finding upends conventional political assumptions: Walloon voters for the left-wing PTB (nearly 50%) and PS (38%) were more likely to demand tax cuts than those supporting the center-right MR (27%), the party most associated with tax reduction in its platform.

As VRT NWS reported, the survey also found that 75% of Walloons believe the Belgian economy has deteriorated over the past year, compared to 64% in Flanders and 69% in Brussels. One in four Belgians cannot afford a car or annual vacation, and one in ten cannot afford adequate heating.

Spending Priorities: Healthcare and Education First

Despite the strong appetite for tax cuts, Walloon and Brussels residents are equally determined to see more investment in public services. Across all regions, healthcare and education emerged as the top areas for increased spending — 60% in Wallonia and Brussels, and 50% in Flanders want more investment in these sectors, which together with pensions account for 48% of total state spending.

Where do Belgians want to cut? Administration is the top target across all three regions (77% in Flanders, 51% in Brussels, 47% in Wallonia), followed by unemployment and social integration spending. Walloons and Brussels residents also favor reducing economic policy subsidies to businesses — a position not shared by Flemish respondents.

The “Butter Paradox”

“In the end, Francophones, especially on the left, seem to want the butter (a tax cut) and the money for the butter (more spending),” wrote RTBF journalist Guillaume Woelfle, summarizing the survey’s central tension.

The survey authors — Professors Stefaan Walgrave (UA), Jean-Benoît Pilet (ULB), Jonas Lefevere (UA/VUB), and Hugo Spruyt (ULB/ULiège) — noted that “Belgians do not consider this the right time to allocate funds to new initiatives. Improving what already exists, reducing the tax burden on citizens, and ensuring budget balance are clearly more important.”

Political Implications

The findings present a dilemma for the Arizona coalition, which is pursuing approximately €10 billion in savings through pension reform, capped wage indexation, and administrative cuts. As The Brussels Times reported in October 2025, the government has struggled to reach internal consensus on the budget, with coalition partners divided over the scale and nature of cuts.

Notably, the survey found that left-right differences on budget issues are “not very marked.” Even MR voters — the party leading the charge on fiscal discipline — are split on spending cuts versus increases, with roughly half preferring the status quo. Only Ecolo voters prioritize new investments for future challenges, particularly the climate transition.

What to Watch For

The survey was conducted during the early weeks of the Iran conflict, which likely amplified economic pessimism. As Professor Walgrave told VRT: “First, there is the feeling of no longer having control over prices — particularly energy prices — due to international turbulence. Second, there is the impression that public authorities are no longer able to protect us from these shocks.”

With the Arizona coalition’s austerity agenda clashing against public opinion that favors both lower taxes and higher spending, the political path ahead remains uncertain. The question of how Belgium’s government will reconcile these competing demands — while navigating the economic fallout from the Iran crisis — will be one of the defining challenges of the coming months.