The majority of Belgians believe that introducing a capital gains tax as one of the measures to reduce the country's budget deficit is "a good thing," according to the Ipsos Grand Barometer survey.
The question of whether "the strongest shoulders should carry the heaviest burden" in the shape of a capital gains tax has long divided the different parties in the Federal 'Arizona' Government. The question will again be on the table of the Council of Ministers soon.
As part of the Grand Baromètre survey by Ipsos and Le Soir, the majority of Belgians indicated that they were in favour of taxing shareholder income: 54% of those polled thought it was a "good thing," while 28% took the opposite view and 18% were not interested.
Flemish people (54%) and Walloons (53%) were more determined than Brussels residents (51%). Of the last group, one in three (34%) thought that taxing capital gains would be a bad idea.
MR against capital gains tax
Still, certain differences among the population emerged: six in ten surveyed men supported the idea, while this was true for 'only' 48% of women. On the other hand, almost as many women (28%) as men (29%) are against the tax.
Finally, opinion in favour of a capital gains tax increases with age: 18-34 year-olds are mixed (38% ‘for’, 36% ‘against’), while a larger proportion of 35-54 year-olds (54% in favour, 27% against) and people over 55 years old (62%, 26 against) support it.
Within the political spectrum, this taxation is most strongly supported by (Flemish socialist Vooruit voters (75%), followed by Christian Democrats CD&V (67%). Opposition peaks among those voting for Flemish far-right Vlaams Belang (42%) and liberal Open VLD (40%). Within the coalition, the most reluctant are those supporting the Francophone liberal MR (37%).
