Bonjour, goeiemiddag!
It's Maïthé Chini again with your daily overview of the news for an English-language audience.
Seeing as the world as we know it did not end overnight, we are back with the latest on Brussels and its issues with rubbish collection.
According to Flemish employers' organisation Voka, businesses risk relocating out of the city if the new Brussels Government does not – pardon the pun – clean up its act.
Several multinationals have already moved from Brussels to the Flemish municipalities just outside the capital, said René Konings, the director of Voka's Brussels branch. He warned that if too many large companies start doing that, the entire ecosystem might collapse.
He blames the country's famous "laissez-faire" attitude to politics (and life), which he says has resulted in many residents feeling that "nothing matters much" in certain areas.
"Cleanliness is all about our city’s image," Konings said. "There are simply several places in this city that are in a poor state and do not give a good first impression."
If, he stressed, the city manages to create a liveable city and attract people to come and live here, "then everything else – including those entrepreneurs – will follow naturally."
While Brussels is known for having "a bit of an edge" and "cosy kind of chaos," Konings believes the authorities have let things get too far, especially when it comes to cleanliness.
In the same vein, Northern Brussels has recorded a notable decrease in certain crimes, including car thefts, burglaries and pickpocketing in 2025.
However, the area is still being crippled by incidents of drug-related violence. Drug-related crime reports doubled in 2025, with police recording a 53% increase – reaching 1,333 reports.
And before I let you go, I just want to draw your attention to the fact that the Belgian trade unions will organise another national strike – this time on Tuesday 12 May – to denounce the Federal Government's budget cuts and austerity measures.
That's it for now, I hope you can enjoy the sun a little!
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. ‘Too much Belgian laissez-faire’: Businesses risk leaving Brussels over cleanliness
"Quite a few multinationals have also moved to the Flemish municipalities just outside the city, and that means Brussels’ appeal is under pressure." Read more.
2. Pickpocketing and burglaries fall sharply, but drug problems double around Brussels-North
Drug-related crime reports doubled in 2025, with a high level of violence concentrated around the Northern Quarter in Brussels. Read more.
3. Will Belgium’s World Cup match against Iran be cancelled?
The prospect of a withdrawal from the tournament, which starts in June, has been put forward since the start of the US-Israeli war against the country. Read more.
4. Belgians advised against using TikTok famous toothpaste
The social media famous product was among the 24 commonly used toothpastes tested by the Belgian consumer group Test Achats. Read more.
5. NATO chief meets Trump after Iran ceasefire
For months, Rutte has been navigating a delicate balance, defending NATO’s European allies against Trump’s critical remarks. Read more.
6. More than 700 pupils in Brussels are on the waiting list for a French-speaking school
The Directorate General of Education of the French Community announced on Tuesday that a total of 49,743 pupils were registered during the first phase of the enrolment period. Read more.
7. National strike announced by unions for 12 May
Unions cited surging energy prices, declining purchasing power and the government's controversial pension reforms as their primary reasons for calling the strike. Read more.
