As unions in Belgium are holding two separate days of action on Friday and Monday to protest the federal government’s expected budget cuts, public transport in Brussels and the rest of the country will be disrupted.
A large strike will take place on Friday 9, marking the tenth major protest against the federal government’s policies since early last year. On Monday 12 October, a national day of action is expected to disrupt public services all over the country as well.
The immediate trigger for Friday’s protest is the drafting of Belgium’s budget, as the unions fear that ordinary people will once again bear the brunt of the cuts.
What is happening?
The FGTB-ABVV union is organising a national demonstration on the streets of Brussels on Friday, which will set off from Central Station and head towards Brussels-Midi station.
“We want to make our red lines clear and warn the government to keep its hands off purchasing power, the cost-of-living index and VAT,” said the union’s spokesperson Daan Nelen.
There are no estimates on the number of people expected to show up, but previous demonstrations attracted tens of thousands of participants. It is likely, however, that several thousand people will march through the streets of the capital on Friday.
Protesters pictured during a joint demonstration in Brussels against the federal government cuts on Tuesday 14 October 2025. Credit: Belga
Meanwhile, the CSC-ACV union will protest at the party headquarters of the governing parties in Brussels: several hundred activists will stage demonstrations at each location, where they will also request a meeting with the party leaders.
“Workers have already contributed more than enough. And on top of that, they are paying the price for the rising cost of living, higher energy bills and increasing work pressure,” said the trade union.
Both unions also wish to draw attention once more to their alternative budget plan: measures that, according to them, could raise up to €21 billion without drastic cuts.
Which disruptions are expected?
Traditionally, national days of action organised by the unions cause disruption in various places. The march through the city is expected to disrupt regular car traffic throughout the day.
On Friday, Belgian railway operator SNCB-NMBS will not participate in the action, meaning trains will run as normal. On Monday, however, the operator is expecting disruptions, and is therefore preparing an alternative timetable. The exact impact of the strike on Monday’s train traffic is not yet clear.
The Brussels public transport operator STIB-MIVB also warned of possible disruptions due to strike actions.
An initial forecast of the operating metro, tram and bus lines will be made available on Thursday and Sunday evenings via STIB’s different channels. On Friday and Monday, the operating lines will be confirmed shortly before 06:00.
Credit: Belga/Hatim Kaghat
Trade unions at Flemish transport operator De Lijn have also filed two strike notices: one for Friday and one for Monday. De Lijn warns of severe service disruptions on those days. An alternative service plan will be drawn up.
Around 40% of De Lijn’s buses and trams will not be running on Friday across Flanders as a whole. The operator’s journey planner has already been updated, meaning that only the buses and trams that will be running on Friday are now listed.
De Lijn will also work out an adapted service for Monday, but it is not yet clear which buses and trams will be running then.
At Brussels Airport, disruptions are expected as well. Earlier this week, the airport announced that it had cancelled 140 flights on Friday, as ground handler Alyzia will be severely affected by national protests.
Alyzia is responsible for managing airline operations for several large airlines flying to and from Brussels, among them Brussels Airlines. They take care of baggage handling, ramp operations, de-icing, aircraft cleaning, and cargo/mail transport.
Cancelled flights during a previous strike. Credit: Belga/ Eric Lalmand
According to Brussels Airport, Alyzia will only have "limited staffing" on Friday.
Around 40% of flights from Brussels Airlines will be affected. According to a spokesperson for the airline, affected passengers will be contacted to reschedule their flight. "Passengers can also check the status of their flight via ‘My Booking’ on our website."
So far, there is no information about flight disruptions on Monday.
