The Belgian federal government has decided to cut €65,000 in subsidies for winter shelter in major cities, sparking criticism from coalition party Les Engagés.
Minister of Social Integration Anneleen Van Bossuyt (N-VA) made the decision without consulting the federal government, regional authorities, or local social services, according to Les Engagés leader Yvan Verougstraete.
These funds contributed to cold weather plans in cities like Antwerp, Ghent, Brussels, Charleroi, and Liège, allowing the addition of hundreds of shelter beds for the homeless from November to March.
Regions supply most of the financing for the cold weather plans, but until now, the federal government covered about one-third of the costs.
Verougstraete expressed his disappointment on social media platform X, calling the funding cut deeply regrettable. “Implementing the cold weather plan is both a moral duty and a legal obligation,” he wrote. “We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable against the cold, as we do every year.”
He called for more collaboration in decision-making to prevent breakdowns in solidarity or unnecessary public anxiety.
Yves Coppieters, the Walloon minister responsible for the issue and a fellow member of Les Engagés, vowed to address the matter during budget talks in Wallonia. “My goal is to ensure the cold weather plan continues without interruption, also preparing for winter 2025-2026. No citizen should be left to fend for themselves in the cold,” he stated.
Minister Van Bossuyt clarified that the decision does not question the importance of winter shelter. Instead, it aims to better define responsibilities and ensure sustainable budget management, she said on Saturday.
