At the weekend Flemish government ministers struck a deal on the Flemish budget for 2024. Flemish PM Jan Jambon (nationalist) will provide lawmakers with the details during his September Declaration to parliament on Monday. Some of the details have already emerged.
Under the deal an extra 270 million euros is being released for child care. The decision is music to the ears of the Flemish Christian democrats. The CD&V had requested a 330-million-euro boost, but the extra cash allowed the Christian democrat leader Mahdi to post on X: “Mission accomplished”.
The Flemish liberals had been pressing for an increase in the job bonus that gives people on lower salaries i.e. under 2,900 euros before tax more cash. The bonus currently stands at 600 euros. VRT understands more people will qualify though the exact amount of the increase has not yet been revealed. The government hopes to compensate for the fact wages are now higher, but due to inflation spending power has decreased.
An effort has also been made to ensure energy bills don’t increase further.
The halving of renovation grants and loans has been postponed by at least a year.
The Flemish government is also providing support to allow people to purchase electric cars, also second-hand ones.
To pay for the extra expenditure wage subsidies given to employers to hire certain groups of workers, e.g. older workers, are being phased out more quickly.
Service cheques used e.g. to pay for cleaners and home help will not become more expensive.