The Flemish formation has entered a crucial phase. The thematic working groups have laid their eggs and drawn up a laundry list of measures and associated bottlenecks. This week it is time to make decisions. The crucial question is: which common thread will the future government choose? A strong coalition agreement is not limited to a mere list of policy measures, but must also inspire with a compelling and visionary story. The leitmotif must be the revaluation of Flemish industry.
However, running an industrial company successfully is becoming increasingly difficult in Flanders. Structural handicaps are dealing our industry uppercut after uppercut: higher energy and wage costs, an extremely erratic permit policy, an increasing tightness and structural mismatch on the labor market. This weighs on investment decisions, precisely at a time when we cannot afford to miss out on sustainable investments.
