Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Brussels as part of a national strike over government reforms and spending cuts that has brought flights to a halt and severely disrupted public transport. Belgium's three big unions are protesting over pensions and other measures by Prime Minister Bart de Wever's centre-right government aimed at cutting the budget deficit.
At Belgium's second largest airport, Charleroi, there were no services while Brussels Airport faced multiple flight cancellations. Although trains continued to operate, most buses, trams, and underground trains in the capital ground to a halt. Meanwhile, shipping at Europe's second largest port, Antwerp, was suspended until Wednesday due to understaffing, resulting in over 100 ships waiting in the North Sea for docking permission.
Police reported that 80,000 protesters had joined the demonstration in Brussels by midday, with public sector workers voicing their dissent against austerity measures exacerbated by a government increasingly perceived as leaning right. Protesters donned the red and green colors of the main unions, focused on the government's plans to extend working years before retirement eligibility and additional austerity measures affecting various sectors.
The sentiment among demonstrators was clear: many expressed concerns over increasing their working years and the implications for future generations. In a peaceful protest marred by occasional vandalism and clashes with police, the collective voice echoed a demand for fairness and a call to protect workers' rights in the face of budgetary constraints imposed by the government.
At Belgium's second largest airport, Charleroi, there were no services while Brussels Airport faced multiple flight cancellations. Although trains continued to operate, most buses, trams, and underground trains in the capital ground to a halt. Meanwhile, shipping at Europe's second largest port, Antwerp, was suspended until Wednesday due to understaffing, resulting in over 100 ships waiting in the North Sea for docking permission.
Police reported that 80,000 protesters had joined the demonstration in Brussels by midday, with public sector workers voicing their dissent against austerity measures exacerbated by a government increasingly perceived as leaning right. Protesters donned the red and green colors of the main unions, focused on the government's plans to extend working years before retirement eligibility and additional austerity measures affecting various sectors.
The sentiment among demonstrators was clear: many expressed concerns over increasing their working years and the implications for future generations. In a peaceful protest marred by occasional vandalism and clashes with police, the collective voice echoed a demand for fairness and a call to protect workers' rights in the face of budgetary constraints imposed by the government.
