Over 40,000 Belgians took to the streets of Brussels to protest “anti-social” fiscal reforms, the energy crisis, and rising military spending
Tens of thousands marched through Brussels on Tuesday to protest Belgian federal reforms, rising military spending, and what demonstrators say are insufficient action on soaring energy prices. The rally comes amid an EU-wide energy crisis and rising defense budgets across the bloc.
The EU energy crisis, triggered by the bloc’s shift away from Russian oil and gas imports, has deepened in recent months due to supply chain disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict, forcing member states to pay significantly more for imported fossil fuels.
Belgium has recently increased defense spending as part of NATO commitments, moving toward the US-led military bloc’s 2% of GDP target after years of lower military budgets. Like other European NATO members, it cites what it calls the threat of Russian aggression as a key reason for its renewed military buildup – claims Moscow has dismissed as “nonsense” and baseless fearmongering.
Meanwhile, the reforms at the center of the demonstration include pension changes such as stricter retirement rules and reduced benefits, labour market reforms introducing greater flexibility and changes to employment protections, as well as adjustments to wage indexation and broader public spending cuts.
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