Goeiemiddag, bonjour!
Straight from the streets of Brussels, this is me, Maïthé Chini, writing today's newsletter.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of the capital today – for the tenth time since 2025 – to call for better working conditions, a better pension scheme, and for Belgium to maintain the full and automatic wage indexation, among other things.
Our reporter Rita Alves started holding the fort bright and early this morning to take you through the day. Whether you want to know about public transport chaos, airport trouble, bin collections or are interested in the general course of the day, Rita has got you covered in her live blog.
Also on our website today is the latest on the controversial merger of Brussels' police zones. The merger of the Capital Region's six police zones into one has been the topic of discussion since mid-2024, and was confirmed when the Federal Government took office in February 2025.
However, Brussels' 19 mayors are against this merger, with Berchem-Sainte-Agathe mayor Christian Lamouline (Les Engagés) even stating that the capital is being "discriminated against". If the proposal gets approved, the Brussels mayors might even take the law to the Constitutional Court. Find out the latest here.
Zooming out, Ireland has formally asked to join a Benelux-led treaty that enables the country's higher education qualifications to be automatically recognised across participating European countries.
In practice, the treaty means that higher education qualifications obtained in one participating country are automatically recognised at the same level in all other participating countries – eliminating lengthy and costly recognition procedures for students seeking to continue their studies abroad.
So if you're coming from Ireland and want to continue your studies here (or the other way around), this would make your life significantly easier. Get the deets here.
Meanwhile, in Antwerp, an artist collective is fighting to stay in a historic building, which housed them for over 50 years, but is now for sale.
Our reporter Eva Hilinski gives you the latest news on the artists' crowdfunding campaign to buy the building themselves.
And lastly, something completely different: four decades after her glittery triumph, Belgium's eternally youthful Eurovision winner Sandra Kim is still living with 'J'aime la vie' – a song she never quite chose, or escaped. Jon Eldridge spoke to her, and tells you all about Kim's douze points.
If you have any comments, tips or suggestions to improve our coverage, drop me an email at m.chini@brusselstimes.com.
See you later!
Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your coffee break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
1. National strike: Latest updates as Belgian trade unions take to the streets
Multiple sectors across Belgium will be disrupted today due to a national demonstration. Find the latest updates on The Brussels Times live blog. Read more.
2. Brussels mayors consider taking ‘discriminatory’ police zone merger to court
"In the rest of the country, police zones are encouraged to merge. But that happens on a voluntary basis. In Brussels, this merger is being imposed." Read more.
3. Ireland asks to join Benelux’s automatic higher education diploma recognition treaty
"What began as a Benelux and Baltic initiative is now attracting more and more countries across Europe." Read more.
4. Antwerp artist collective needs €1 million to save their historic home
With citizens' collaborative efforts, artists hope to reclaim the space in the Antwerp centre "for imagination, solidarity and shared use." Read more.
5. Police close down six sex shops in central Brussels
Authorities decided to shut down the establishments after discovering items like supplements and prescription-only medications being sold unlawfully. Read more.
6. Against a backdrop of boycotts, Eurovision under tight security in Vienna
The number of participating countries is the lowest in recent years, with five boycotting the contest in protest against Israel’s participation. Read more.
7. Douze points for Belgium: Whatever happened to Sandra Kim?
Four decades after a glittery Bergen triumph, Belgium’s eternally youthful (and only) Eurovision winner is still living with a song she never quite chose – or escaped. Read more.
