Liège Ends Free School Childcare Amid Budget Pressures

The city of Liège has voted to end free school childcare services, introducing a progressive fee system that will charge families up to €75 per child annually depending on their school’s socio-economic index (ISE). The decision, approved by the municipal council on June 29, makes Liège the latest Walloon city to roll back free services under the regional government’s Plan Oxygène austerity program.

Context: The Plan Oxygène

Launched in 2022 by the Walloon Region, Plan Oxygène was designed to help financially struggling municipalities borrow from banks at favorable rates, with the Region covering the interest payments. As of June 2026, the program has cost approximately €100 million in interest subsidies, with 27 Walloon municipalities participating. However, a key condition requires participating cities to eliminate free services and potentially raise taxes.

Liège has been under significant financial pressure, with its budget requiring Walloon Region approval. In April 2025, the city announced reduced subsidies and paid parking as initial austerity measures. Mayor Willy Demeyer acknowledged that decisions were being made “under constraint” from the Region, as reported by RTBF in July 2025.

The New Fee Structure

Under the new system, approved by the majority coalition against opposition from the PTB (far-left) and Vert Ardent (Greens), fees are determined by the Socio-Economic Index (ISE) of each school, a classification system established by the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles that ranks schools from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 20 (most affluent).

The fee structure is as follows:

• ISE 1–5: Free (54% of Liège schools fall in this bracket)
• ISE 6–10: €35 for the first child, €10 per additional child
• ISE 11–15: €60 for the first child, €20 per additional child
• ISE 16–20: €75 for the first child, €30 per additional child

Specialized education remains free, while families living outside Liège will pay an additional €20 surcharge. The annual flat fee applies regardless of how often a child uses the service. Lunchtime supervision, previously free in some schools, will now cost €4.20 in preschools and €4.50 in primary schools across all establishments.

Political Reactions

Education Alderman Julie Fernandez Fernandez defended the measure as “a balanced agreement” while acknowledging it was not a cause for celebration. “Not all families have the same socio-economic realities, which is why we are basing this on the socio-economic index linked to the schools,” she said, as reported by Belga via La Libre.

Opposition parties strongly criticized the decision. Céline Fassotte of the PTB warned of a potential “ghetto effect,” suggesting parents might choose schools based on their ISE rating to avoid fees, potentially reinforcing socio-economic segregation. Pierre Eyben of Vert Ardent called the decision “a social regression” and raised concerns about potential employment impacts on childcare workers.

A Broader Trend Across Wallonia

Liège is not alone in rolling back free childcare. The city of Charleroi ended free childcare on January 1, 2026, charging €1.25 per session with potential costs of up to €500 per child annually, though the city offers a €100 compensation check per child. Herstal, also in Liège province, introduced a 50-cent per participation fee from the 2026 school year. Even in the Brussels region, Ganshoren ended free morning childcare in preschools for the 2025–2026 school year.

Analysis and Implications

The progressive fee structure based on ISE means that families in the most disadvantaged areas—representing 54% of Liège schools—will retain free childcare, mitigating the impact on vulnerable families. However, the shift represents a broader transfer of costs from municipal budgets to individual households as Walloon cities grapple with financial constraints.

The €100 million cost of Plan Oxygène to the Walloon Region has raised questions about long-term municipal finance sustainability. Minister-President Adrien Dolimont has suggested that some communes may need to be forced to merge—a politically sensitive proposal in a region where local identity remains strong.

What to Watch For

As the 2026–2027 school year approaches, families across Liège will need to calculate their potential costs using the online simulator launched by RTBF. Key questions remain: Will the city monitor the socio-economic impact and adjust ISE thresholds if needed? Unlike Charleroi, Liège has not announced compensation checks for families. And with the ISE recalculated annually, some schools may shift between fee brackets, creating year-to-year uncertainty. The coming months will reveal whether other Plan Oxygène municipalities follow suit, potentially accelerating the end of free school services across Wallonia.