Things will move along nicely if you stop politics.
Our southern neighbors view our political exit payments with suspicion: for the next five years, departing Belgian parliamentarians will withdraw no less than 40 million euros from the state treasury. But how do they arrange things in our neighboring countries?
Netherlands: strict conditions with a maximum of 247,000 euros
Our northern neighbors call it ‘redundancy pay’. The Dutch approach is considerably stricter than the Belgian one. “The Dutch focus more on the labor market, also when it comes to their politicians,” said Professor of Public Finance Herman Matthijs in ‘Het Laatste Nieuws’. A Dutch parliamentarian earns 8,889.89 euros gross. In the first year after departure, he or she receives 80 percent of this amount, the second year this drops to 70 percent. The duration of the benefit depends on the length of service, with a maximum of 3 years and 2 months. You are not eligible without at least four years of parliamentary experience. The Dutch ceiling is approximately 247,000 euros.
A remarkable detail: if Dutch politicians do not apply for a job after three months, they must report to a career coach. “They probably wouldn’t see it that way with us,” Matthijs jokes. “But it might not be so crazy after all. What do 68-year-olds like André Flahaut or Patrick Dewael need with career guidance?”
France: 154,000 euros with a monthly payment
French parliamentarians set aside 1 percent of their salary every month for their exit compensation. Their system is very similar to that of regular employees. They receive a monthly allowance of 57 percent of their gross salary, varying from 24 to 36 months, depending on age. The total compensation can amount to 154,000 euros. “In France, older politicians receive benefits for longer, but the monthly amount is lower,” Matthijs explains.
