This is the second time that the Federal Planning Bureau has calculated the ‘election programmes’. Although that description may be a bit exaggerated: the Planning Bureau does not have enough manpower to calculate the complete election manifestos. This allowed the parties to have a maximum of thirty priority measures calculated.
That makes it difficult to compare election manifestos. With the measures that the parties choose, they largely shape the image they want to portray in the market. The exercise makes it clear what each party stands for and what kind of voter it wants to seduce. For example, the N-VA makes the statement that the budget will be put in order with it and Groen says that it will eliminate poverty.
For each measure submitted by a party, the Planning Bureau checked – if possible – what the budgetary costs or revenues were. The consequences of the entire package of measures taken by a party were then examined. How many jobs will they create by 2029, the end of the next government period? What are the effects on purchasing power and the budget? What about the incentives to work? And so forth. If relevant, it could even be examined what the effects are in terms of traffic jam kilometers and CO₂ emissions, for example.
It is important that the Planning Bureau already makes such a prediction based on a certain estimate of the socio-economic reality in 2029. Without major shocks and if policy remains unchanged, for example, 219,600 jobs would be added between 2025 and 2029 and the budget deficit would rise to 39. .6 billion euros. The figures you see per party therefore show the effects of the party programs based on that scenario. If, according to the Planning Bureau, CD&V creates approximately 103,520 jobs, this is 103,520 jobs on top of the already expected 219,600 jobs.
Below you will find an overview of the election manifestos of each party, and what the Federal Planning Bureau says about them.
N-VA: guardian of the budget
The N-VA is the only party that significantly reduces the budget deficit with the calculated measures. The party also creates average job growth, but hardly any purchasing power is added. read more
Vlaams Belang: working pays more, especially for the upper middle class, but the budget is bleeding
Implementing the program would create many jobs, but would throw the budget out of balance. Vlaams Belang complains that the Planning Bureau’s method is flawed. read more
CD&V is committed to expensive strengthening of society
Childcare and health are important themes for CD&V. The party also wants to get more people to work. The costs are rising, but the Christian Democrats note that the welfare gains cannot be expressed in euros. read more
Open VLD wants to tax labor less
The Liberals are making major cuts and lowering taxes on labor. The budget is improving, but the lowest income groups are paying the price. read more
Moving forward: extra purchasing power without losing sight of the budget
Vooruit promises a portion of extra purchasing power and jobs, without further burdening the budget. The party did not include measures to further reduce the budget deficit. read more
Green magic magicks poverty away
With a very expensive measure, Groen is magically eradicating poverty in our country. Thanks to, among other things, a wealth tax, the party will not allow the budget to be further derailed, but neither will it significantly reduce the gigantic deficit. read more
PVDA: good for the treasury, bad for purchasing power and job creation
The PVDA’s policy is good for the treasury, but according to the Planning Bureau, bad for the economy. The party disputes the latter. read more
