Belgian General Strike Protests Austerity Measures

On Tuesday, Brussels witnessed a huge demonstration, with tens of thousands of workers rallying against the austerity measures set forth by Prime Minister Bart De Wever. The three major trade unions in Belgium orchestrated this general strike, resulting in school closures, public transport interruptions, and canceled flights. According to Morning Star, around 100,000 protesters took to the streets, holding signs like "Hands off our pensions" and "We will not pay the price of their wars," opposing the proposal to raise the retirement age to 67 and introduce penalties for early retirement. Union leaders warned that the reforms would worsen inequality, while Gert Truyens criticized the government for ignoring social dialogue. This protest is part of ongoing resistance to De Wever's policies over the last 18 months.