MR (still) squeezed between Brussels, Wallonia and Flanders
The reform of the introduction in French-speaking Belgium can count on little enthusiasm in Flanders. ‘There are more urgent implementations,’ says the cabinet of Ben Weyts. And the struggles within the MR itself about the reform? “MR Prime Minister Pierre-Yves-Jeholet supports the reform, so we will continue with it,” said his spokesman. Meanwhile, it continues to rumble in Brussels. After thirty years, the French community is gearing up for the typical reform. At the end of March, the community parliament of our southern neighbors normally votes…
The reform of the introduction in French-speaking Belgium can count on little enthusiasm in Flanders. ‘There are more urgent implementations,’ says the cabinet of Ben Weyts. And the struggles within the MR itself about the reform? “MR Prime Minister Pierre-Yves-Jeholet supports the reform, so we will continue with it,” said his spokesman. Meanwhile, it continues to rumble in Brussels.
After thirty years, the French community is gearing up for the typical reform. At the end of March, the community parliament of our southern neighbors will normally vote on the decree that will drastically change the school holidays from the moment of import. In summary: the summer holidays will be shortened by two weeks, the other holidays will be extended by one week each time. And their naming is disconnected from Christian festivals. You read that last week in our extensive Wallonia section. Jeholet is Prime Minister of the French Community. Within the MR there is a clear divide between Wallonia and Brussels.
MR and Ecolocators versus PS
Also this week, the reform continues to keep French-speaking politics busy. On the one hand, federal MR minister of completed affairs Sophie Wilmès remains against it, a source within the MR says. Wilmès expresses the Brussels point of view (even though she lives in Sint-Genesius-Rode, but that’s another story, red.), which calls on Flanders to work quickly on a transformation. After all, quite a few MR voters in and around the capital send their children to both French and Dutch-speaking education. This can affect family life if one community suddenly organizes holidays at other times.
This would also make immersion education less attractive for Dutch speakers, argues the Brussels MR. In addition, quite a few eventual problems in the work planning of companies in Brussels may arise. The MR therefore wants the reform to be postponed until Flanders implements it. It can be heard in the corridors that a lot of Brussels ecolo-voters are also not really in favor of the reform. They also often send their children to (the better) immersion or Dutch-speaking schools.
Continue at any cost
On the other hand, French-speaking PS education minister Caroline Désir and her Prime Minister Jeholet want to push through with the reform at all costs. “It’s been in government programs for three decades, now it’s about time,” Jean-François Mahieu, Désir’s spokesman, told Breakthrough† ‘We will communicate our decision to the other Belgian governments this week in the consultation committee. If Flanders wants to join in, they will. If they don’t, we’ll carry out the reform anyway. This is community material. Moreover, it is urgent that something is done about the school disadvantage, which especially vulnerable children start due to the long summer holidays.’
Not a priority for Weyts
Pierre-Yves Jeholet has the same voice: ‘He is promoted and Prime Minister of the Community Government. So I don’t really see why this reform should not be voted on,’ says Nicolas Reynders, Jeholets. And yet. When raised with the objection that some Brussels MR members have announced in the French-speaking press that they do not rule out voting against in the French community, Reynders says: ‘We’ll see.’ †MR is in the opposition in the Brussels parliament and the French community commission in Brussels, but in the government of the French community, red.†
In Flanders, the French community does not want to wait, according to Michaël Devoldere, the statement of Flemish education minister Ben Weyts (N-VA). “We agree on the merits of the matter. The long summer vacation is a quick one for the weaker kids. But at the moment we think there are other versions† Flemish education is declining, countering that is our first concern. In addition, education has not yet digested the covid crisis well. And beforehand we may have many Ukrainian refugees who need to be educated. What we hear from the educational field and from parents is that there is a lot of division about the holiday issue, with parent as the parent.’
Divorced parents
‘We think it’s important to take our time’, Devoldere continues. ‘That is why we asked the Social and Economic Council of Flanders (SERV) and the Flemish Education Council. By the end of evolving that should be there. This one has more to it than you think. It has consequences for, for example, agreements about agreements with divorced parents. But even with a positive pass, the reform would be a fact from 2023-2024 at the earliest.’
‘It is important to consult this reform as widely as possible, and – if it comes to fruition – also to pour it into a broader agreement on improving the Flemish quality of education,’ says Devoldere.