Over a thousand MR activists convened on Saturday morning in Charleroi, to sanction its participation in the Walloon and French Community governments.
Activists from Les Engagés also met in Louvain-La-Neuve on Saturday to sanction their participation in the new centre-right governments alongside MR by a show-of-hands vote, with only one abstention.
After the elections on June 9th, the two victorious parties in southern Belgium announced their intention to work together in forming the Walloon and French Community Government (Féderation Wallonie-Bruxelles) administrations. Following this, it took them a month to reach an agreement, the main points of which were presented on Thursday.
"These agreements signal the end of taboos. There should be no taboos in public management. Our aim is to enhance people’s happiness, enthusiasm and optimism," the MR leader, Georges-Louis Bouchez, stated on Saturday.
"People don’t fear change, they await it. And we are going to embody this change," he added, to considerable applause from the liberal activists who had greeted him with a standing ovation just minutes earlier. Despite the talk of change, MR were in the last two Walloon governments.
Les Engages' chairman Maxime Prevot and MR chairman Georges-Louis Bouchez pictured during a press conference to present the new Walloon government, at the Walloon parliament, in Namur, Thursday 11 July 2024. Credit: Belga / Laurie Dieffembacq
He continued saying: "These agreements can be implemented as long as there is a commitment from everyone involved in the governments, parliaments, and each of you. The next five years will be field years, as we will need to explain the reforms and demonstrate that the path taken is one of Walloon recovery."
Bouchez also emphasised the importance of maintaining public support. "We must consistently nurture this flame and desire for change. We will not reform the Region against the people, but with them," he asserted.
Over at Les Engagés
Les Engagés party also unanimously approved majority agreements, barring one abstention, with MR for Wallonia and French Community governments on Saturday.
The president, Maxime Prévot, stressed the party’s intent to foster change as reflected in the regional and community policy declarations. He assured that this alteration would occur without causing upheaval and would be carried out collaboratively.
Walloon party Les Engages to discuss their participation in the Walloon and Wallonie-Bruxelles (Federation Wallonia Brussels - Federatie Wallonie Brussel), in Louvain-La-Neuve, Saturday 13 July 2024. Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
"We will be progressive and proactive, but never offensive. Our goal isn’t to disrupt, but to modernise," Prévot affirmed in front of party militants in Louvain-la-Neuve.
However, he stated everyone must accept Belgium's future will be different, in line with the "unprecedented" vote of confidence received by Les Engagés and MR at the elections. Prévot suggested that if changes had not been presented, those who trusted them may feel betrayed in the future.
Putting Wallonia and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation "back on the tracks of virtuous redevelopment" is the key plan, according to Prévot. He also highlighted some of the deal’s key achievements; these include more "fiscal oxygen", eco-friendly, social and territorial transitions, preservation of the non-profit sector, making education the "backbone of our action", and promoting "more agile" public services.
