If ramping up military spending might have been way down on the political agenda a few years ago, reservations about rearming Europe have been swept aside as old allies impose new conditions on their protection. Even Belgium, surrounded by the continent's most powerful nations, accepts the need to step up.
Having long overlooked the NATO obligation to spend 2% of GDP on defence, Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) wants to make good on this commitment, with an additional €17 billion sector spending to reach the threshold by 2029. It's a huge jump that puts even greater pressure on an already ailing economy, even with the additional leeway from the European Commission to exempt defence spending from the calculation of national deficits.
Though the imperatives of the day make a compelling case for boosting defence capacity, De Wever's proposal to fund this by selling state-owned shares in Belgian banks, telecoms companies, and property have been rebuked. "Selling the family silver" is a criticism many have evoked, warning that this will only provide a one-off source of revenue rather than a long-term solution.
More likely, many fear, is that welfare protections will be whittled away, reallocated to the armed forces in what one Belgian think tank calls "budget restructuring" in a new report about how defence spending will be funded. One of the authors told The Brussels Times that they avoid the word "austerity" due to the negative connotations. But with a substantial tranche of the public already on edge about cuts to pensions and benefits, it will take more than diplomatic terminology to assuage unions and civil organisations.
And although investment in defence could create more manufacturing jobs in Belgium, a trade union representative was dubious: "Investing in additional armament ultimately results in more money for the arms lobby and the specialised weapons industry. Social deficits or poverty reduction do not benefit."
On top of this, the rush to pump up Belgium's military capabilities has received scathing criticism. Former Prime Minister and current MEP Elio Di Rupo (PS) gave a fierce rebuttal of Defence Minister Theo Francken (N-VA), who hopes to buy more F-35 fighter jets from the US. "Reactionary" and "disconnected from reality" was Di Rupo's acerbic appraisal, at pains to emphasise the need to buy European rather than American.
Better still, others argue, to recognise Belgium's geographic strengths and put money into defence capabilities rather than machines for attack. Protecting infrastructure – most notably the Port of Antwerp and cyber security – would be most sensible. Without a coherent strategy, Belgium's scramble to hit the 2% target could end up an expensive shot in the foot.
The future of Brussels: as world affairs develop at lightning speed, Belgium's capital still has no government nine months after elections. As debts rise and the public services struggle to meet growing insecurity, negotiations remain paralysed. To understand the implications of the deadlock and what chance there is of a way out, The Brussels Times is hosting an after-work panel from 18:30 to 20:30 on Tuesday 25 March at Cardo Brussels Hotel. Speaking will be philosopher Philippe Van Parijs, Vista party president Jan Wostyn, and Professor of Constitutional Law Céline Romainville. Registration is free, please RSVP to: info@brusselstimes.com.
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