On Sunday, the Federal Government entered its second consecutive evening of pension reform negotiations after yet again failing to reach an agreement on the issue.
Having conveyed at 09:00 on Sunday morning, the various parties in government failed to achieve a common consensus, even after 15 hours worth of deliberation.
This is the eighth effort they've made to reform the present pension plan, and with the parliamentary recess only three days away, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has made it a priority because there are no other items on the government's agenda.
As a result, the following topics are now on the table: access to the minimum pension, part-time pensions, pension bonuses, and closing the gender gap.
However, De Croo's calls for compromise have fallen on deaf ears, with sources stating that the partisans points of contention within the government are yet to be resolved.
Related News
- Eighth time lucky? Government meets again to discuss pensions
- Belgian government takes major step in fight against racism
- MR's Hadja Lahbib replaces Sophie Wilmès as Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister
This is exemplified by the reported the rejection of the PM's proposals by the government's left-wing parties: PS/ Vooruit and Ecolo/Groen.
According to sources, the key sticking points continue to be the number of years of "actual work" necessary for individuals to benefit from minimum pension, early retirement, and the question of whether periods of inactivity are considered as employment.
Several members of the Prime Minister's team, as well as the Pensions Minister Karine Lalieux's staff, were contacted for comment, but no additional answers were provided.
