Good afternoon and a happy Friday to you all. Katie Westwood here for our last missive of the week.
Belgium, like virtually all developed countries, is facing an economic reckoning. The country’s public debt is enormous: in 2025, it stood at 107.9% of GDP and continues to grow. After free-wheeling France, Belgium has the second-largest budget deficit in the Eurozone.
Economists have been arguing for decades that something’s got to give in a country with an ageing population, low fertility rate and a generous welfare state. But where can savings be found, and will any proposals be palatable to a population which has proven resistant to any whiff of austerity in the past?
It’s a hell of a conundrum for the Federal Government – which is why Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) has decided to pick the brains of the country’s leading financial institutions for money-saving ideas.
From increasing VAT to introducing a dual income tax system, none of the proposals appears particularly ground-breaking. Political Editor Maïthé Chini gives you the full picture here.
If no agreement can be reached on what to do, perhaps De Wever could take a leaf out of Donald Trump’s book and build a cage-fighting ring on Rue de la Loi so his ideologically-opposed ministers can slug it out instead.
Staying with the subject of austerity, if you were in central Brussels yesterday, you may have seen some unpleasant scenes as police clashed with demonstrators taking to the streets to protest against education reforms by the French-speaking Community, officially known as the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.
During a 14-hour marathon session overnight, the French-speaking Community Parliament passed the controversial measures as part of a larger austerity package. Read all about it here.
Elsewhere, regular contributor Reza Farsi Madan looks at another controversial subject: the Good Move mobility plan. As Reza argues, the scheme had laudable aims – to reduce traffic and pollution, and improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
But due to failures in urban planning and poor execution, the rollout of the plan met fierce resistance across the city. Read all about how Good Move is set to evolve under the new Brussels Government here.
Finally, I’ll leave you with our usual rundown of things to do this weekend in Brussels. Glorious rain will be here for the next few days, so you might want to check out the range of indoor activities on offer.
As always, if you have any comments, tips or suggestions to improve our coverage, please feel free to drop me an email at k.westwood@brusselstimes.com.
Bye for now!
Katie
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. Higher VAT, tax cuts or ‘selling the crown jewels’? Over 250 proposals to save Belgium’s budget
While the country's budgetary situation is not improving, it remains to be seen whether the Belgian Government will take experts' recommendations on board. Read more.
2. Austerity plans in French-speaking education approved amid student-teacher protests
The approved measures are part of a comprehensive austerity plan announced last year by the French-speaking Community Government to reduce its chronic deficit. Read more.
3. Why was the Good Move mobility scheme so controversial – and what is going to replace it?
Brussels' new mobility plan is likely to distance itself from the symbols that made Good Move politically toxic. Read more.
4. Person shot during bar brawl in Schaerbeek
An altercation broke out around 02:00 between several people in an establishment on Chaussée d'Helmet. Read more.
5. Belgian judge orders bank to reimburse phishing victims after couple lose their life savings
The decision could significantly change how banks deal with fraud victims. Read more.
6. Famous Flemish cafe in Brussels city centre needs a new landlord
Frequented by locals and tourists alike, Café De Markten is often praised for its affordable and socially-inclusive atmosphere. Read more.
7. What to do in Brussels this weekend: 5 – 7 June
From a one-of-a-kind art fair taking over a hotel to an immersive electronic show, there is no shortage of ways to spend the first full weekend of June. Read more.
