Goeiemiddag iedereen, bonjour à toutes et tous!
Maïthé Chini here again, delivering the latest news straight to your inbox. We can all take a deep breath again: the heatwave officially came to an end yesterday.
However, with temperatures set to go up again next weekend, who knows what's in store for the rest of the summer. With Germany and the Netherlands both getting booted out of the World Cup last night, anything is possible.
In the meantime, let's have a look at what's happening in little old Belgium. New data on road traffic accidents has shown a sharp increase in the number of deaths caused by e-scooter accidents – prompting calls for the police to step up speed checks.
In 2025, 15 people in Belgium died after having an accident on an e-scooter, compared to four the previous year. Reporter Christopher Richards spoke to the Vias road safety institute to find out more about the reasons for that increase.
Also from Christopher is a report on how live-out landlords – that is, someone who rents out a property that they own, but which is not their main home – will pay around €360 more in property taxes for 2026 in the City of Brussels than last year.
Will this result in a knock-on increase in rents? Christopher asked around and found out for you.
Staying on the topic of money and taxes, two parties in Belgium's Federal Government are currently looking into introducing a wealth tax – a controversial subject that has already led to plenty of discussion in the coalition.
The Flemish socialists (Vooruit) and Francophone centrists (Les Engagés) are both suggesting a "millionaire tax" to tap into new sources of revenue. While the parties' proposals differ slightly, they strongly agree on the fact that the "broadest shoulders should carry the heaviest burden".
Recent opinion polls have shown that there's plenty of support for such a tax, but that does not mean Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) is going to budge, even if it could lead to millions of euros in extra revenue per year. Find out what's happening here.
And lastly, I would like to highlight an interesting piece by regular contributor Polya Pencheva. She wondered what happens in people's brains when they switch between languages all the time.
Ordering a coffee in French, answering an email in English, and speaking another language at home – this is part of everyday life for many people in Brussels, including myself.
While language-switching is so ingrained in Brussels society that it seems effortless (and in many cases, it really is), scientists say that the benefits of speaking more than one language also come with hidden cognitive costs. Polya tells you all about it.
For comments, tips, corrections or suggestions, give me a shout at m.chini@brusselstimes.com.
Que tenga un buen dia!
Maïthé
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. Police urged to act amid alarming increase in e-scooter deaths and injuries in Belgium
Brussels is banning shared e-scooters from 2027 and new data on road traffic accidents helps to explain why. Read more.
2. Multilingualism in Belgium: What happens in our brains when we switch languages?
For residents of Brussels, switching between languages is a part of everyday life – but it comes with a heavy cognitive workload. Read more.
3. Will Belgium soon raise €2 billion per year by ‘taxing the rich’?
Belgium's Federal Government coalition is currently split on whether "the broadest shoulders should carry the heaviest burden". Read more.
4. Brussels shootings happening mainly outside of ‘drug hotspots’
As the Belgian capital continues to be gripped by regular shooting incidents, the 'hotspot strategy' has been called into question. Read more.
5. City of Brussels to make live-out landlords pay more property tax
In the City of Brussels, only 30% of properties are owner-occupied. Read more.
6. Summer transport chaos in Saint-Gilles as construction work disrupts buses and trams
“Passengers in Saint-Gilles have had enough,” said the Brussels Public Transport Users’ Association. Read more.
7. Groen leader released after arrest at pro-Palestine demonstration
The demonstration, which takes place every Monday evening, is organised in protest against the Israeli flag flying at Antwerp town hall. Read more.
