Success so far?
“I saw many citizens enthusiastic about this refreshing message. We want to anticipate the future ambitions that are imposed on current and future generations: digital, climate, metaverse, money, travel, the environment…”
Are you even going to hand over your mandate?
“You had to be consistent. This is why I am putting my mandate back into play. Members must be able to endorse or not the content of our proposals. My mandate would run until 2024, but it was legitimate to ask citizens to vote on the new manifesto. The opening of applications is scheduled for May 16. »
Where is the manifesto?
“It is still subject to debate. Amendments are debated in the four corners of Wallonia and Brussels. I want to work on hope rather than fears, which is what extremes do. We are participatory. »
What if, it is unlikely, the manifesto no longer suits you?
“The politician must listen to the citizen and take this risk. »
Is it possible to summarize the manifesto in a tweet?
“In the air of extreme communication, incessant clashes and trash talk on the networks, I want to restore the courage and power of nuance. It is a necessity. We have to go back to basics. We must stop the permanent conflict with a tweet and not have our eyes on the next elections but on the challenges of the next generations. »
What do you think of the current parties?
“They are often much too wait-and-see not to displease their electorate. The virtue that has disappeared from the political world is courage. Too often, politicians react a posteriori to the occurrence of societal changes. Of course, that requires being able to not howl with the wolves. »
And if you go to a government that wants to work the old way?
“Traditional parties are in planned obsolescence. They will have to molt. I wish it as a citizen and a dad. The recipes of the past will make tomorrow’s society fail. All indicators show that society is changing. The politician who does not see it… is socially blind. »
How to deal with the explosion of energy costs?
“Pensioners, low salaries and the small self-employed pull the devil by the tail. There has been a culpable responsibility of the parties of the governments for years. Today’s youth are asking us to be vigilant on the climate issue. We need energy independence without demonizing nuclear power. This energy does not only have virtues… but not only faults. We need an energy mix and develop renewables. Finally, we have advanced knowledge and research in our country at the nuclear level which can be useful without forgetting the prospects of more flexible tools in this area. »
Especially since the demand for electricity is growing…
“The energy demand of electric cars is a reality. Wind power and photovoltaics will not be enough. »
You have also decided to tackle white-collar finance
“I am flabbergasted by the weak will of the traditional parties to tackle big tax evasion and white-collar crime. We are talking about 30 billion a year. This is twice the budget of Wallonia. Imagine all that we could fund in public policy with such an envelope. »
What do you propose ?
“3000 additional positions for the judicial police in the tax administration to make it a real national cause and not an alibi at the end of the debate. It’s scandalous to see the misery that is sometimes caused to ordinary citizens… when you see the billions that slip through the cracks. Judge Claise’s rant must be heard. »
Is this a new theme for the movement?
“We cannot leave the only field of indignation to the extremes in this matter. For us, this theme is important because if we do nothing, we weaken social cohesion. »
V.Li.
Solidarity with Ukraine in Namur will be important?
“We have the reception center (converted sports hall) and a welcome from the inhabitants. We have 170 refugees in Namur. If 200,000 refugees really arrived in Belgium, this would concern 2,000 refugees for Namur. We have been working with the crisis unit for several weeks to find solutions. In any case, Namur does everything it can to honor its status as a hospitable city. This is a commitment that we unanimously formulated at the municipal council. It is an issue of dignity and humanity. »
From crisis to crisis, what will remain of this world?
“We have to rethink our relationship to time, money, travel and the environment while taking the human factor into account. It is necessary to rehabilitate the values of the sense of effort, of taking responsibility, of benevolence. »
Worried by the rise of extreme left or right?
“They only flatter their customers. They are not looking for solutions for everyone. We are not centrist by default, but by conviction. »
“En Marche” and “les Committed”, same fight?
“There is a common energy and conviction. We are proposing an innovative project that calls for a spade, a spade. Basically, there are elements of divergence. »
4th Walloon politician in the polls, a surprise?
“I have always been careful with the polls. I notice that, as leader of an opposition party, I am the 4th most popular man in Wallonia. This also shows that there is a capital of trust that should not be neglected. »
Is it possible to be 4th without being a champion of tweets and social networks?
” Obviously. This is proof that you shouldn’t go overboard. You don’t have to be a media junkie. I don’t feel the need to be in the press every day or tweet frantically to build trust. The citizen expects the return of the credibility of political action. »
Is that also why you weren’t in the Walloon government?
“It’s a decision I don’t regret at all. It was an unprecedented attitude of rupture in the Belgian landscape. We placed our values before the quest for positions and mandates. »
V.Li.
The office of mayor is heavier than ever?
“I see several colleagues who resign, who are exhausted from all parties. The burden of successive crises (sanitary, Ukrainian, floods, etc.) is very heavy. In addition, the regional and federal levels of power have shown their shortcomings and have rejected most of the actions on the ground on the municipalities. Belgium became a federation of municipalities 3 years ago. »
Financially drained municipalities, whose fault is it?
“In many municipalities, the deficits are almost exclusively due to this deferral of the federal burden (tax-shift, pension reform, the explosion of costs in the CPAS with Elio Di Rupo’s reform, etc.) If the federal paid for everything it puts on the backs of the municipalities, the situations would already be easier. »
Is this the last level where we think long term?
“When I first became mayor, I presented a project for 10 years. I wanted to be honest with the citizen and tell him that it would take time. We need to find a state spirit. »
He disappeared ?
“If we were to take the names of great politicians with a spirit of state, we would have to look in the 90s. There have not been any since… This is not normal. »
V.LI.
Will the Walloon recovery plan be a success? Does it change the model?
“The sequence is illustrative of the problems. At the start, there was a dusting between ministers. It was so grotesque that even the social partners publicly expressed their outrage. The government had to revise its copy. »
What do you think of the debate on school rhythm?
“We are in favor of this reform, but we denounce the haste which does not take into account the complex situations of families close to the linguistic border (90,000 households concerned) and blended families. This is why we had pleaded for a one-year postponement. »
Do you also want another rhythm of the school day?
“We need to integrate more sports, early learning and artistic activities into the school timetable, even if it means ending the day a little later… which will be more comfortable for people who work. Do not be afraid to open this debate. This will improve the well-being of children. »
And the pact of excellence?
“I hope that the parties will pursue this reform without being afraid. »
V.Li.