On October 14, 2025, the streets of Brussels erupted with the sound of drums, horns, and a chorus of voices chanting in defiance. Tens of thousands—by some counts, more than 150,000—marched through the city center, answering the call of Belgium’s three major trade unions to protest the sweeping austerity plans proposed by Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s government. The demonstration, one of the largest labor mobilizations in years, brought the Belgian capital to a standstill, paralyzing traffic, grounding flights, and disrupting public transport networks in a dramatic display of public discontent. According to police, the crowd numbered around 80,000, while organizers insisted the turnout was nearly double that figure.
The protest was sparked by De Wever’s proposals to cut pensions, freeze wages, and reform the country’s social welfare system in an effort to rein in a ballooning budget deficit. Belgium’s deficit, already in violation of European Union rules, is projected by the Federal Planning Office to rise to 6.5% of GDP by 2030—one of the highest in the EU. As the government scrambled to find approximately $12 billion in savings, the prime minister’s coalition, dubbed the “Arizona Government” for its party colors, failed to reach a budget agreement the night before the protests, forcing De Wever to postpone a key speech to parliament.
For many Belgians, the proposed measures struck at the heart of the country’s social contract. Protesters carried signs reading “Right to a pension at 65” and “Wanted for pension theft,” the latter featuring images of De Wever and other senior politicians. Red prohibition signs with the number 67 were everywhere—a reference to the government’s plan to raise the retirement age from 65 to 67 by 2030. “What really mobilizes people are pensions,” Thierry Bodson, leader of the 1.5 million-member FGTB union, told French-language state radio RTBF. “This government promised more sustainable jobs and increased purchasing power. Hot air! And once again, everyone is paying, except the rich.”
Protesters came from across Belgium and from all walks of life: teachers, healthcare workers, public employees, and private sector staff. “People came from all over Belgium, from all walks of life: workers, employees from both the public and private sectors, from all the professions that keep society running,” Peter Mertens, General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Belgium (PTB-PVDA), told Peoples Dispatch. “A total of 140,000 people who are fed up with this government’s social destruction.”
The demonstration was not without tension. Minor scuffles broke out between police and protesters, some of whom set off flares and smoke bombs. According to Associated Press and AFP, police responded by firing tear gas and using water cannons to disperse breakaway groups. Several dozen protesters were detained, and officers in plain clothes, identifiable by red armbands, tied the hands of those arrested with plastic bands. Riot police at one point sought refuge in a hotel as crowds surged. Police vehicles were seen smashing up bicycles in pursuit of demonstrators, while Belgium’s Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt reported vandalism at the immigration office downtown.
The strikes rippled far beyond the city center. All departing flights were canceled at Brussels International Airport after security staff walked off the job, and Charleroi Airport, a major hub for low-cost airlines, was forced to suspend all flights due to lack of staff. Public transport operator STIB reported significant cuts to underground train, bus, and tram service, further complicating travel for thousands.
Underlying the anger was a sense of betrayal and fear for the future. “We are heading towards a future that doesn’t look good,” said 59-year-old protester Chantal Desmet to AFP. “The government has to take notice.” Victoria Coya, a teacher, echoed those concerns: “I am here to defend my rights and those of my pupils. If things continue like this, what future will they have?”
Trade unions and left-wing parties have been particularly vocal about the impact of the reforms on vulnerable groups. The FGTB-ABVV union warned that women, especially those who took maternity leave before 2003, risk being penalized if they cannot produce documentation, potentially losing pension credits. “The government intends to deliberately steal from thousands of women who took maternity leave before 2003,” FGTB-ABVV activists wrote in Syndicats Magazine. “These women will bear the ‘burden of proof’ for this leave. Otherwise, what? Their maternity leave will simply not be counted in their pension calculations. This is a discriminatory choice, and a deliberate one. It shows a total lack of respect.”
According to the Federal Pension Service, 30% of people—70% of whom are women—could lose an average of 318 euros per month, about a third of their pension, if the reforms go ahead. “For many, that automatically means falling below the poverty line,” said Bodson. The government’s simultaneous plan to increase defense spending, including the purchase of new F-35 fighter jets, added fuel to the fire. “Investing in weapons and cutting back on pensions is a political choice,” Mertens argued. “By 2070, pension spending would rise by 2% of GDP, which the Reformist Movement claims is impossible [to fund]. Yet increasing defense budgets by 2% over ten years is entirely possible for them.”
Despite government reassurances that pensions would not be cut and protections would be preserved, skepticism runs deep. “All these distortions, half-truths, and blatant lies prove one thing: the government is under pressure,” Mertens said. “What we feel today is incredible energy, collective pride, and great determination. More and more people are realizing: together, we can make the government back down. Together, we can win.”
The October 14 protest was just the latest in a series of strikes and demonstrations that have rocked Belgium since De Wever took office in February 2025 after protracted coalition negotiations. While the prime minister insists that austerity is needed to stabilize the economy and secure Belgium’s future, the country’s powerful unions and a broad swath of the public remain unconvinced—and, as the events in Brussels showed, ready to fight for the social protections they believe are under threat.
As the dust settled in Brussels, with tear gas still lingering in the autumn air and the echoes of protest songs fading, one thing was clear: Belgium’s debate over austerity is far from over, and the government’s next moves will be watched closely by a nation determined not to let its social safety net unravel without a fight.
