Rousseau Draws Line: High Earners Don’t Need Tax Cuts

Flemish socialist leader Conner Rousseau has drawn a clear line in Belgium’s escalating budget debate, declaring that high earners like himself do not need tax cuts and that fiscal relief should be reserved exclusively for lower and middle-income workers. Speaking at Vooruit’s family day in Plopsaland De Panne on June 7, attended by over 10,000 party members, Rousseau positioned his party as the defender of working families ahead of what promises to be a grueling summer of budget negotiations.

“People with my salary don’t need tax cuts,” Rousseau told VTM NIEUWS. “Give it to the ordinary working people.”

The Budget Crisis

Belgium faces a daunting fiscal challenge. The federal budget deficit has been projected at 26.5 billion euros (4.2% of GDP) for 2025, with the Monitoring Committee warning it could balloon to 39 billion euros by 2029 under unchanged policies. The European Commission has given Belgium seven years to bring the deficit below the Maastricht threshold of 3% of GDP.

Rousseau put the immediate gap at “at least 7 billion euros,” though broader estimates range from 26.5 to 36 billion. The current “Arizona coalition” government — spanning Flemish nationalists (N-VA), socialists (Vooruit), liberals (MR), and centrists (CD&V, Les Engagés) — must find substantial savings while managing deep ideological divisions.

Targeted Relief, Not Broad Cuts

Rousseau argued that tax relief on labor should be targeted exclusively at those who need it most. “Politics is about making choices,” he said. “The choice we want to make is to reduce the tax burden on labor.” He reiterated his call for a “millionaire contribution” (miljonairstaks), noting that Belgium has never had so many millionaires and that they should contribute their fair share.

“We want to ask a modest contribution from millionaires,” Rousseau said, as reported by VRT NWS. “That seems reasonable and fair to me.”

The millionaire tax proposal faces significant political hurdles within the coalition, particularly from the liberal MR party, whose leader Georges-Louis Bouchez has previously called the idea a “misbaksel” (failed concept).

Defense Audit and Broader Savings

Rousseau called for a thorough audit of defense procurement, warning that Belgium may be overpaying for military equipment due to a tight global market. “You often pay for a Ferrari, but you get a Lada,” he said sharply. Until the audit is complete, Vooruit will not approve major new procurement deals.

On other fiscal measures, Rousseau indicated that Vooruit is “principally opposed” to a VAT increase but left the door open within a broader package. Healthcare — managed by Vooruit minister Frank Vandenbroucke — could contribute savings through fees and mutual health insurance funds, but not by cutting care quality. “We will never get this budget balanced if everyone sticks to their taboos,” Vandenbroucke said. “But it must be done justly.”

Rousseau also advocated for fewer parliamentarians and fewer parliaments as a long-term savings measure, with Vooruit preparing a “social state reform” aimed at a more logical division of competencies.

Clash with N-VA Over Healthcare

The Vooruit leader sharply criticized Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele (N-VA) for urging party members to leave the Christian Mutual Health Fund (CM). Rousseau accused N-VA of wanting to import an American-style healthcare system. “A very strange statement for a minister-president,” Rousseau said. “As long as I’m in government, we will keep the Belgian system. You don’t have to show your credit card here before you can get into an ambulance.”

The clash reflects deeper ideological divisions within the coalition over the future of Belgium’s traditional ‘pillarized’ social model.

What’s Next

Budget negotiations are expected to intensify through the summer, with some ministers targeting a July 21 deadline — Belgium’s National Day — for an agreement. Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) has warned that the government needs to find approximately 12 billion euros in savings.

Rousseau acknowledged that difficult choices lie ahead for all parties. “Everyone will have to make concessions this summer, including Vooruit,” he said. “For me there are not many taboos, but it must be fair.”

The question now is whether the coalition can bridge its ideological divides — between those who favor broad-based austerity and those, like Rousseau, who insist the burden must fall on the wealthiest shoulders.