Itinera gaat voor een samenleving waar het aangenaam is om te leven, waar frisse, ambitieuze ideeën de kans krijgen uit te groeien tot duurzame ondernemingen, waar onderwijs jongeren klaarstoomt en zin geeft, en waar innovaties transformeren in succesvolle producten in een economie die blijft bloeien.
Marc De Vos argues that the Olive-zone of Euro-land is trapped in a depressionary spiral. Austerity and reform are necessary but need to be complemented with a European investment plan. Failing to do so will moreover polarize elections beyond control.
By a constitutional binding deficit rule policy makers will be forced to take the necessary budget measures and to stipulate a real long term policy for the public finances.
Laurent Hanseeuw recalls the housing issues prevailing in Brussels. He explains how housing policies favoring the building of large houses and apartments have anti-social and counterproductive effects.
The Itinera Brainstorm is an open reflection on social reforms by politicians, academics and stakeholders. With these new ideas we hope to keep, also in 2012, the debate alive in Belgium and its regions. More than 50 participants, more than 100 ideas!
The housing premium mitigates the fiscal pressure on new housing development from 106% to 60% and is an important fiscal stimulus to acquire a house of its own. However, new housing estate is in further decrease, in spite of the housing premium.
Also between 2013 and 2015 the budgetary measures of the government agreement will not come up to the mark.
Only citizen initiatives can bring a new political culture. Therefore the problem of collective action needs to be overcome which is of no use when an individual citizen reacts against clientism while his fellow citizens are making use of it.
Laurent Hanseeuw and Jean Hindriks discuss the current issue of the number and wages of civil servants. Beyond the budgetary aspect, the growing discrimination taking place between civil servants working under contracts and those enjoying statutory positions, should be reviewed.
Marc De Vos illustrates the differences in political culture between Belgium and the Netherlands and remarks how the results are visible. He argues against political technocrats and for technocratic politics.
