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Maurits Vande Reyde wrote that the podcast *Het Wassalon*, for which he claimed 800,000 euros had been allocated, was stopped after 342,619 euros had been spent. He stated that Minister Caro Gennez had initially called the podcast a success because it had reached 1.2 million views, translating that as one in five Flemish people having seen the podcast. According to Vande Reyde, the reach was partly due to 64,000 euros being spent on Meta ads. He argued that views alone said nothing about the impact of a campaign and questioned whether the podcast had actually contributed to the acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals or to the sense of societal acceptance among people with disabilities. He cited an ad that led to an inclusive vocabulary list from Cavaria, featuring terms like “allosexual,” “amatonormativity,” “androphilia,” and “gray asexual.” Vande Reyde criticized the way the government evaluated campaigns, subsidies, and structures like service vouchers, claiming that standards were always found to label such initiatives as successful without determining what had actually changed. Regarding the cessation, he wrote that Gennez attributed it to hate and polarization caused by disinformation, mainly from the parliament, and that she referenced him in that context. Vande Reyde found that reasoning incorrect and stated that Sammy Mahdi, Ben Weyts, Melissa Depraetere, and others in the Flemish podcast world had also criticized the project the previous summer. He argued that the fiasco would yield no lessons and predicted that another useless subsidy would follow. #politiek #socialeimpact #mediaevalutie (translated)

Roaldcs wrote that the number of civil servants in the federal government had increased by over 40% in twelve years, from approximately 109,000 to 160,000 full-time jobs, and that the federal government also spent billions annually on external consultants. In response to NRC's question about why it was not possible to reduce the size of the government, he stated that the growth stemmed from incentives within the political and administrative system. According to Roaldcs, ministers with larger budgets and more staff could increase their influence, while officials who solved problems might render their own positions redundant. He also wrote that politicians were primarily judged on promises, and that new laws, subsidies, and organizations subsequently required additional implementation staff. If the execution stalled, he claimed that was used as a reason to hire more civil servants. Roaldcs advocated for eliminating government tasks, policy areas, ministries, subsidies, permits, and regulations. He believed that citizens, entrepreneurs, and social organizations should be able to arrange more for themselves and suggested that the power of the government should be radically limited. #Overheid #Bureaucratie #Politiek (translated)

Marianne Zwagerman wrote that Maarten Keulemans did not appear at a meeting of the Dutch Press Council on the case that Maurice de Hond had brought against him. The chairperson called that absence unfortunate, according to Zwagerman; former KRO director Ton Verlind, who attended the meeting, felt that Keulemans should have been there. Zwagerman announced a report about the meeting in the program *Dwars door de Politiek*, focusing on De Hond's accusations and the defense by the Volkskrant. Additionally, she and De Hond would discuss, among other things, the unrest in France, a publication in Trouw about side effects of coronavirus vaccines, and the pressure on nitrogen policy. According to her, they also looked back at a celebration marking De Hond's 50 years as a pollster. Zwagerman reported that the broadcast would be live on Sunday at 9:00 PM and would later be available as a podcast. https://t.co/UQzZVVS9yF #Journalistiek #Politiek #Actualiteit (translated)

Maurits Vande Reyde wrote that Europe, in his opinion, would never match the US in terms of innovation. He pointed to overregulation, too many subsidies, high taxes, and a climate where the media and a large part of the power holders viewed entrepreneurs as a source to finance high government spending. Vande Reyde also stated that people in his country were portrayed as crazy when they admired Elon Musk as an entrepreneur. He accused fact-checker Tim Verheyden of regularly spreading fabricated stories about Musk and said that this, in his opinion, said a lot about the state of Europe. #Innovatie #Ondernemerschap #Europa (translated)

AFRICA DAILY REPORT — 17 OCTOBER 2026 Key developments of past 24 hours 1. Kenya — Third Ebola case confirmed IMPORTANCE: 10/10 — CRITICAL. Kenya confirmed a third Ebola infection, a 65-year-old close relative of the first two patients. She was already quarantined; authorities reported no evidence of wider community transmission. FULL DIRECT ARTICLE URL: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/kenya-confirms-third-ebola-case-close-relative-other-two-cases-2026-10-16/ 2. DR Congo — Ebola response funding transparency IMPORTANCE: 10/10 — CRITICAL. Africa CDC said over $700 million of Ebola-response donor funding could not yet be traced through the joint verification exercise. This does not establish that money was stolen. FULL DIRECT ARTICLE URL: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/africa-cdc-says-over-700-million-ebola-response-funds-unaccounted-congo-2026-10-16/ 3. Sahel — Rival jihadist groups clash IMPORTANCE: 10/10 — CRITICAL. Fighting between JNIM and Islamic State affiliates intensified near the Burkina Faso–Mali–Niger border. Reported casualty claims are unverified. FULL DIRECT ARTICLE URL: https://www.africanews.com/2026/10/16/rival-jnim-and-islamic-state-jihadists-clash-in-intensifying-sahel-turf-war/ 4. Ethiopia — Interim administration appointed in Tigray Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced a six-month interim Tigray administration after federal advances. The conditions and timetable for regional elections remain uncertain. FULL DIRECT ARTICLE URL: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/ethiopias-abiy-names-new-tigray-government-wants-polls-six-months-2026-10-16/ 5. Sudan — Army chief writes to US president Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said he contacted President Trump about peace efforts. Diplomatic contact does not amount to an agreed ceasefire. FULL DIRECT ARTICLE URL: https://www.africanews.com/2026/10/16/sudan-burhan-writes-to-trump-over-truce-peace-initiative/ 6. Morocco — New coalition cabinet named Morocco announced a 32-member cabinet following September's parliamentary election, including a new economy and finance minister. FULL DIRECT ARTICLE URL: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/moroccos-new-government-has-new-finance-minister-keeps-foreign-interior-2026-10-16/ 7. DR Congo — Thirteen political parties face restrictions Congolese authorities banned activities of 13 parties including former president Joseph Kabila's PPRD, citing security concerns. Opposition representatives criticised the move. FULL DIRECT ARTICLE URL: https://www.africanews.com/2026/10/16/dr-congo-bans-activities-of-13-political-parties-linked-to-joseph-kabila-as-opposition-cri/ 8. Africa economy — IMF outlook and aid decline IMPORTANCE: 9/10 — VERY HIGH. The IMF projected African growth of 4.5% in 2026 and 5% in 2027 while warning that falling development aid could magnify shocks. FULL DIRECT ARTICLE URL: https://www.africanews.com/2026/10/16/imf-says-african-economies-performing-well-despite-shocks-from-us-iran-war/ 9. Angola — Fuel subsidies may exceed $4 billion IMPORTANCE: 9/10 — VERY HIGH. Angola expects its fuel subsidy bill to reach approximately $4.16 billion in 2026, putting pressure on public finances. FULL DIRECT ARTICLE URL: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/angolas-fuel-subsidies-spending-projected-hit-4-billion-2026-official-says-2026-10-16/ 10. South Africa — Suspected illegal rehabilitation facility IMPORTANCE: 9/10 — VERY HIGH. Police found over 200 people at a suspected unlicensed rehabilitation facility and arrested two operators; the investigation continues. FULL DIRECT ARTICLE URL: https://www.africanews.com/2026/10/16/south-african-pastor-wife-arrested-after-200-found-in-suspected-illegal-rehab-centre/ #Africa #AfricaNews #AfricaDaily #TopNewsOfAfrica #Sahel #SahelConflict #JNIM #IslamicState #Terrorism #RegionalSecurity #BurkinaFaso #Mali #Niger #Kenya #Ebola #EbolaOutbreak #PublicHealth #DRCongo #AfricaCDC #HealthSecurity #Sudan #SudanConflict #PeaceNegotiations #Ethiopia #Tigray #Morocco #AfricanEconomy #IMF #Angola #wrldorg

Target pensions or welfare, don't tax banks, neoliberal IMF tells UK Chancellor. Silence on corporate welfare, bank subsidies and profiteering; poverty, equitable distribution of income and wealth. Sacrificing the old, poor, sick to the gods of fiscal rules, so that banks are not inconvenienced.

Maurits Vande Reyde wrote that, in his opinion, tax increases were too obvious in Belgium. He stated that academics, experts, and journalists often defended increases as difficult but inevitable and economically sensible, while political opponents were dismissed as enfant terrible. In Flanders, according to Vande Reyde, within less than two years, registration fees and costs for waste management had been increased, a road tax had been introduced, and various levies had risen, especially for entrepreneurs. The promised reduction of inheritance tax had also been scrapped. No party had announced these measures before the elections, he wrote. Vande Reyde added that, in the meantime, nothing was happening to reduce the state apparatus. According to him, cuts at the federal level were deemed impossible, while the removal of a small amount of Flemish subsidies was portrayed for weeks as an infringement of universal human rights. He also stated that the press regularly presented so-called spontaneous testimonials from people who almost always turned out to be PVDA activists, and that others viewed things differently. #Belastingverhogingen #Vlaanderen #Politiek (translated)

Geert Noels wrote that in Belgium, the people who paid the most taxes were labeled as antisocial, while the largest recipients of transfers and subsidies were considered social. According to him, the image did not need to be completely reversed, but it did show a lack of respect and economic insight. #België #Belastingen #SociaalEconomie (translated)

Forum for Democracy wrote that the cabinet wanted to make hybrid heat pumps mandatory from 2029. According to the party, this would cost households a minimum of 6,000 euros, even after subsidies, which it claimed came from taxpayer money. Tom Russcher demanded that the minister put an end to what the party called expensive climate hysteria. https://t.co/plHHrhyx9J #klimaat #duurzaamheid #warmtepomp (translated)

Flick wrote that Youth Work Amsterdam was suspected of involvement in a large money laundering scheme and that the municipality had invested millions in subsidies in the foundation. The author sarcastically noted that this was unexpected and categorized the issue as a cover-up. https://t.co/VTnsMK3ILC #Amsterdam #Jongerenwerk #Witwassen (translated)

Ideta has received almost 4 million euros in subsidy for the completion of two strategic projects in Tournai, including the development of the MC² CleanTech Park and the equipping of the Tournai Ouest 3 economic activity park, which will strengthen regional business capacity and economic development in Wallonia Picardy. #EconomieCirculaire #DéveloppementDurable #Tournai (translated)

Maurits Vande Reyde wrote that since taking office in the Flemish Parliament in 2019, he had tried to warn that billions in subsidies for a limited number of companies, in his opinion, yielded nothing and had no noticeable impact on growth or employment. He stated that countless small entrepreneurs were paying for that and that the money, according to him, could be used for a significant reduction in burdens for everyone. He asked how many failures were still needed before the Flemish government and organizations like VOKA would realize that. #VlaamseRegering #Ondernemers #Subsidies (translated)

The author said the quote explained socialism’s electoral success in Spain and elsewhere, arguing that politicians created dependency on the state and that this dependency generated voters. They referred to people relying on government transfer payments, subsidies and social safety nets. #Socialismo #Política #Elecciones #ES