The Belgian federal government has not come to an agreement to deploy soldiers to combat drug trafficking on the streets.
The proposal, advocated by the MR party, suggested placing some 100 troops from January to support police forces in Brussels and Antwerp, a major European entry point for drugs from the port of Antwerp.
Discussions about the plan have been ongoing since summer. It became politically linked to a separate initiative from the CD&V party aimed at reducing prison overcrowding, which now also appears unlikely to proceed.
Belgium deployed soldiers to city streets in 2016 following a wave of terrorism affecting the country and Europe.
However, since then, the geopolitical landscape has shifted significantly, especially with the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022 and increased threats from Russia, leading the military to reconsider its resource allocation.
