Governing parties call NATO's 5 per cent defence spending goal unrealistic

The leaders of three governing parties in the federal coalition – Vooruit, MR and CD&V – have called it unrealistic to increase defence spending to 5 per cent of Belgium’s gross domestic product, as requested by NATO. According to Defence minister Theo Francken of N-VA, however, Belgium will have no choice but to comply.

“That 5 per cent is ridiculous,” Vooruit leader Conner Rousseau told De Standaard. “Even the US doesn't do that. We think it's very important to invest more in Belgium and around the world, but 5 per cent seems excessive, unachievable and unaffordable to us.”

"5 per cent seems excessive, unachievable and unaffordable”

MR is making similar statements. Leader Georges-Louis Bouchez told De Morgen that there was no agreement in the federal government to bring the defence budget to 5 per cent of GDP. He called it “collective hysteria” and “impossible”. Earlier, CD&V leader Sammy Mahdi asked in Het Nieuwsblad, “On which tree do those billions grow?”

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Rousseau said he realised that NATO “will decide for itself how much it will propose”. “It will not be our call, but what we can decide for ourselves is how we deal with it,” he said. “The most important question is: how are we going to make Belgium and Europe truly safer?", referring to cybersecurity or making Belgium more independent from the rest of the world.

“It will not be our call, but what we can decide for ourselves is how we deal with it"

According to Defence minister Francken, Belgium will eventually have to spend 5 per cent of its GDP on defence, as requested by the United States. Foreign minister Maxime Prévot of Les Engagés also wants to meet this standard. Prévot advocates spreading the additional expenditure over a longer period, and Francken has made similar statements.

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During the NATO summit in The Hague later this month, NATO wants to make a final decision and make it clear that the defence budget must reach 5 per cent of GDP. The federal government has yet to determine its position on this, which is difficult now that budget deficits are rising and creditworthiness is declining.

^{Vooruit leader Conner Rousseau © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS}

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