The budget deficit in the euro zone decreased slightly last year: from -3.7 percent in 2022 to -3.6 percent in 2023. This is evident from figures from the European statistical agency Eurostat. In Belgium, on the other hand, the deficit has increased considerably: from -3.6 percent to -4.4 percent.
Only four countries in the eurozone had a larger deficit than Belgium last year: Italy (-7.4 percent), France (-5.5 percent), Malta (-4.9 percent) and Slovakia (-4.9 percent). .
Last week, the National Bank clarified that the budget deficit was increasing due to, among other things, an increase in minimum pensions and higher expenditure due to an aging population. The indexation of benefits and government wages also plays a role.