Bernard Arnault no longer wants to be Belgian

“I am not a fiscal fugitive”

When it became clear in September that Bernard
Arnault, tenth on the Forbes-list of richest people on earth, wanted the
Belgian nationality, a debate started about the superrich, who go to other
countries for fiscal asylum.

According to the interview in Le Monde, Bernard
Arnault never wanted to be a fiscal fugitive. His most important motive, says
Le Monde, was to protect his heritage if his future heirs did not come to an
agreement about the division of the heritage, which could lead to the crumbling
of the empire he built.

Arnault claims he never had the intention to
leave France, nor to evade French taxes. With the withdrawal of his request for
a Belgian passport, he wishes to confirm his commitment to the country and his
trust in the future.