Belgium’s prisons are facing a critical staff shortage, according to figures requested by federal MP Alain Yzermans and reported by Het Belang van Limburg.
Prisons in the country are reportedly short of 462 guards, 58 psychiatric nurses, 33 full-time nurses, and 11 psychologists.
Yzermans (Vooruit) highlighted the strain on current staff, who struggle to take their allocated holiday leave, leading to an even greater workload.
At the start of 2025, the cumulative backlog of unused leave totalled at least 703,400 days, Yzermans calculated.
The MP plans to address this issue with Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) in the Justice Committee. He emphasised the need for a new staffing policy in Belgian prisons, including increased resources, additional personnel, and better recognition of the profession.
