‘It’s Not a Lack of Money’: Belgian Poverty Advocate Slams Social Cuts
Christine Mahy, Secretary General of the Walloon Network Against Poverty (RWLP), has delivered a blistering critique of the Belgian federal government’s planned social spending cuts, arguing that the issue is not a shortage of public funds but a deliberate choice of political priorities. Speaking on RTBF’s “Matin Première” on July 2 — the 50th anniversary of Belgium’s Public Social Action Centers (CPAS) — Mahy accused the government of systematically dismantling social protections while redirecting resources toward military spending, corporate subsidies, and tax-advantaged employment schemes.
“Savings must be made where necessary, and money must be sought where it is found. I think it’s a fundamental lie,” Mahy said, as reported by RTBF. “There is money today, even without going to look for it. But there are choices about the direction of money.”
A System Under Strain
Created on July 2, 1976, CPAS are municipal-level institutions that serve as Belgium’s last-resort social safety net, providing financial assistance and social support to individuals who have exhausted all other forms of social security. Mahy described them as increasingly overwhelmed as more people lose access to unemployment benefits under the government’s reform.
According to the “three-thirds” hypothesis confirmed by the Court of Auditors, of those excluded from long-term unemployment benefits, approximately one-third find work, one-third turn to CPAS (31.9%), and one-third receive neither employment nor social assistance. Mahy warned that CPAS budgets are not growing in proportion to the rising demand.
“As more and more people go to CPAS and the rules are increasingly tightened, we are seeing a rise in access conditions since there are more people for a budget that does not grow according to the intensity of the population’s needs,” she said.
Misplaced Priorities
Mahy pointed to several areas where she believes public funds are being misdirected. She questioned the “intensity of investment in armament” and referenced “54 billion euros” directed to the corporate sector in 2024 — though a report from the National Bank of Belgium notes that subsidies and investment aid to companies amounted to approximately 25 billion euros (over 4% of Belgian GDP).
She also criticized the extension of flexi-jobs to all sectors, effective July 1, 2026. Flexi-jobs allow workers already employed at least four-fifths time, or retirees, to take additional lightly taxed work. Mahy argued they compete with regular employment for job seekers, do not contribute to social security, and primarily benefit students and already-employed workers.
“Flexi-jobs, like reduced student work at age 15 and increased hours, like tax-free overtime — these are three vehicles that create employment, but not employment for job seekers,” Mahy said.
Employment Minister David Clarinval (MR), however, has defended the system as a “success story,” noting that several hundred thousand workers already participate and that sectors are asking to offer flexi-jobs. He argued the system increases purchasing power, reduces black-market work, and helps small businesses grow.
The Heatwave Connection
Mahy linked the social cuts to the government’s response to an exceptional heatwave that has struck Belgium in late June 2026, arguing that vulnerable populations — the elderly, children, and poorly housed individuals — suffer most from both austerity and extreme weather.
“How is it that politicians don’t know how to address the population decently?” she asked. “We are burying people already today.”
She criticized the political infighting over Climate Minister Jean-Luc Crucke’s climate roundtable, saying the focus should be on saving lives rather than political positioning.
A Fundamental Debate
The clash between Mahy and the government reflects a deeper ideological divide over the future of Belgium’s social model. The “Arizona” coalition government, led by Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA), has pursued a right-leaning reform agenda focused on reducing public spending, tightening unemployment benefits, and expanding flexible work arrangements.
Mahy described the tightening of rules as driven by “political and ideological reasons with an increasingly invasive view: that people might be profiteers and cheaters.”
What’s Next
As the flexi-jobs extension takes effect and further waves of unemployment exclusions continue, CPAS across Wallonia and Brussels face mounting pressure. The debate raises fundamental questions about whether Belgium can sustain both its fiscal consolidation targets and its traditional social protections. With poverty affecting approximately one in five Belgians — over 2.1 million people — according to Statbel, the coming months will test the resilience of the country’s social safety net.