Congress weekend for the Belgian political parties. This Saturday, the Prime Minister’s party was no exception to the rule since the Open Vld met at Kinepolis in Antwerp for a meeting on the theme of “freedom”. Inevitably, Alexander De Croo therefore spoke by returning to the decisions taken during the rebound of the coronavirus epidemic.
During this congress, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo reconsidered the decisions taken by his government to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Measures that limited individual freedoms and that angered some Flemish liberals.
“We had to make decisions that were not the easiest during the Covid crisis. Did I enter politics to determine the number of people that people could receive in their homes? To implement a curfew? No, it’s the opposite of what suits me,” said the head of government.
The theme of the Open Vld congress was precisely freedom. Mr. De Croo made the assembly understand that freedom, in our time, probably no longer had the same meaning as a few years earlier.
“For me, freedom is also essentially protecting people. At a time like this, you can’t give people opportunities or prospects if you don’t consider how you can offer them basic protection. These are the decisions we have made in recent months.
Because how can you enjoy your freedom if you are intubated in the hospital, underlined the Prime Minister. “How free can you be if you don’t have money to pay for heating?”
“Liberalism can only be successful if it is inclusive and not exclusive,” he continued.
Party members nevertheless approved a whole series of proposals on Saturday aimed at banning certain interventions by the authorities during the health crisis. In particular, they no longer want to hear about a curfew or a ban on gatherings.