Introduction
Still No Federal Government Three Months After Elections
As reported earlier by the CIVICUS Monitor, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo’s party suffered a significant defeat in the regional, national and European elections which took place on 9th June 2024. De Croo’s party, the Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open VLD), saw its vote share drop to just 5.8%, prompting his decision to step down.
Since the June elections, Bart De Wever, leader of the separatist New Flemish Alliance (N-VA), has been leading the negotiations to form a coalition government. He was last reappointed as the lead negotiator in early September 2024, by Belgium’s King Philippe, until 17th October. The negotiations stalled in late August due to disagreements over the budget and a proposed capital gains tax.
The regional government of the German-speaking community, or “Ostbelgien”, formed its coalition government in July, combining the ProDG (pro-German-speaking community), the CSP (Christian Social Party) and the liberals of the PFF (Party for Freedom and Progress). Similarly, in the French Community of Belgium (“Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles”) and the Walloon Region, the liberals (MR) and the centrists (Les Engagés) reached a government agreement.
Belgium Faces Urgent Judicial Crisis Due to Judge Shortage
On 1st July 2024, the Belgian Federal Institute for Human Rights (IFDH) warned that Belgium's judicial system was in crisis. Due to a shortage of 700 judges, legal cases sometimes drag on for up to 10 years. The delays, especially in Brussels courts, have led to human rights violations, with Belgium already condemned four times by the European Court of Human Rights. The IFDH called for urgent investment in the justice system, warning that new measures like communal administrative sanctions bypass judges and risk undermining fair trials.
Brussels Declines to Host UEFA Match Between Israel and Belgium Due to Security Concerns
In June 2024, the city of Brussels declined to host a UEFA Nations League match between Israel and Belgium scheduled for September. The match, initially set to take place at Stade Roi Baudouin on 6th September 2024, was called off following consultations between city officials, federal authorities, and the Belgian Football Federation (URBSFA).
Brussels’ first alderman, Benoit Hellings, announced the decision, stating that the game could trigger "major (counter-)demonstrations," potentially compromising the safety of players, spectators, and residents. "
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have taken place in Brussels since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, adding to the already heightened security concerns. Brussels had been on alert prior to the conflict, as the city remains a target for extremist attacks.
The Israel-Belgium Nations League game was relocated to Debrecen, Hungary, where Belgium won 3-1 in a closed-door match.
Convicted Holocaust Denier Back in the News
For the upcoming municipal election to be held in October, the far-right Vlaams Belang party (Flemish Interest) put forward a 90-year-old convicted Holocaust denier as one of its candidates in the village of Aalter. After some controversy in the media, the man decided not to run on the list, so as not to harm his party’s chances.
Freedom of Assembly
Thousands Rally Against the Far-Right in Brussels
On 16th June 2024, over 4,500 demonstrators took to the streets of Brussels, for the second time in a row, protesting the rise of far-right ideologies that have recently gained traction across Europe. Earlier, on 12th June 2024, 1,200 people demonstrated in Brussels “against the current reactionary and fascist wave”. In Flanders, far-right party Vlaams Belang secured 23% of the vote, while 178 far-right Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were elected across the Union’s member states. This result reflects what activists describe as the shift to the right in Belgian politics. The march was organised by the Belgian Anti-Fascist Coordination, a coalition of around 20 social movements dedicated to combating far-right extremism.
The police reported that the demonstration proceeded without major incidents. However, at Madouplein, the headquarters of the far-right party Vlaams Belang was targeted with paintballs, and anti-fascist graffiti was sprayed on the building. No arrests were made.
A few days later, 100 people protested in front of the Consulate General of France in Brussels against the rise of the far right in France.
Surprise Strike Shuts Down Charleroi Airport
All flights at Brussels South Charleroi Airport were cancelled on 12th September 2024 due to an unexpected strike, impacting around 200 flights and leaving 30,000 passengers stranded. The strike continued on 13th September 2024 for a second day. The strike, initially set to begin on 19th September 2024, was moved up without warning, catching airport management and passengers by surprise. The strike stems from a dispute over working conditions, with unions citing excessive workloads and an "aggressive management policy." While the airport had issued warnings of potential disruptions, the complete halt in operations exceeded expectations. On 14th September 2024, operations resumed after a 9-hour meeting between management and unions.
Thousands Rally in Brussels in Solidarity Over Audi Plant Closure Threats
A march in solidarity with workers at Audi’s Brussels plant, whose jobs are at risk following an announcement of potential restructuring, took place in Brussels on 16th September 2024. The police have estimated the number of participants in the protests at around 5,500, while the trade unions put the number of participants at almost double that. The plant, which employs 3,000 people, faces the possibility of an early halt to production of the Audi Q8 e-tron electric cars.
The demonstration culminated at a square in front of the European Parliament. Union leaders used the rally to highlight broader concerns about European industrial policies, and the migration of manufacturing out of Belgium and Europe. "We want to send a strong signal to European authorities," said Patrick Van Belle, a union official.
The peaceful protest, which featured banners reading "The Industry is Ours," was accompanied by a national strike that resulted in the suspension of most public transport in Brussels.
Pro-Palestinian Protests Clash with Police and Students Face Complaints Over Alleged Hate Group Involvement
Since 30th August 2024, a dozen students have received summonses from the Brussels police related to their participation in university encampments in solidarity with Palestine, accusing them of criminal offences that could lead to preventive detention. The allegations include participation in a hate group, assault, and property damage during the protests.
The students were part of a movement that occupied the Université Libre de Bruxelles’s (ULB) Solbosch campus from May to June, demanding the university sever ties with Israeli academic institutions and condemning violence in Gaza. The group, now calling itself the "Université populaire de Bruxelles," has rejected the accusations, describing them as "bureaucratic measures" meant to suppress a legitimate political cause.
The protest, which mirrored similar actions in the U.S. and France, called for an end to ULB’s collaboration with "Zionist institutions" involved in the "oppression of the Palestinian people." In June, ULB's rector, Annemie Schaus, requested the protesters vacate the premises, as according to her view, the sit-in had “exceeded its purpose”. She also cited damage caused during the occupation. The sit-in ended with Belgian police forcibly removing students from the campus in late June.
In the same vein, on 26th June 2024, several dozen people, among them students from the Dutch-speaking Free University of Brussels (VUB), tried to occupy the Flemish Interuniversity Council in Brussels to demand the universities end all collaborations with their Israeli counterparts. They entered the building but the police immediately intervened to take them outside. Some students who had staged a sit-in were dragged down the stairs. The protesters were expelled from the Ravenstein Gallery and took their protest to the street, where further confrontation occurred with the police.
Students occupying a building at the University of Leuven in solidarity with the Palestinian people since 13th May 2024 were asked to evacuate by 1st July, which they refused to do. Before the academic year started, a Justice of the Peace ordered them to vacate the building. “This is an attack on our right to protest,” the students responded. They ended their protest after four months of occupation.
On 15th July 2024, around 100 people gathered outside the Israeli Embassy in the municipality of Uccles (Brussels) to condemn the Israeli military offensive on Gaza and express solidarity with the Palestinian people. As with previous protests in front of the embassy in May 2024, protesters clashed with police, with police using tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.
On 25th July 2024, 14 pro-Palestinian activists gathered in the Brussels city centre for an unannounced protest. They were administratively detained by the police for public disorder and rebellion, as they refused to put away their Palestinian flags, and were accused of having staged a spontaneous demonstration and having disrupted an event of the Tomorrowland Festival.
LGBTQI+ groups take to the streets to celebrate Pride, call for better protection from violence
On 11th August 2024, about 150,000 people took to the streets in Antwerp to join the annual Pride parade in the city. Student members of the group “University of Antwerp for Palestine” also took part in the procession, waving Palestinian flags in order to express solidarity with Palestine amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. However, they were asked by the organisers to leave the event, which they complied with. Two weeks later, the city of Liège held its first ever Pride parade, becoming the first city in Wallonia to host one.
On 30th August 30th 2024, a group of Brussels-based LGBTQI+ organisations, including RainbowHouse Brussels and Ex Aequo, staged a “die-in” protest in response to a surge of violence targeting the community. The protest followed a series of nearly ten ambush attacks, organised through dating apps, which had escalated with the shooting of a man in Ixelles, injuring his wife and son.
The demonstration aimed to highlight the ongoing LGBTQI+phobia in Brussels, despite the country’s progressive legal framework. Protesters called for urgent action from public authorities to enhance security in both physical and virtual spaces where LGBTQI+ people interact. Associations also advised caution for app users, offering tips for safety and encouraging reports of any homophobic incidents.
Freedom of Association
Announced changes to subsidy mechanisms in Wallonia
The newly formed regional Walloon government devoted an entire section on “Optimisation and harmonisation of subsidy mechanisms for CSOs” in its policy statement for 2024-2029:
While maintaining that the "autonomy of action and conviction within the associative sector" will be fully guaranteed, the government has announced that "care will be taken to ensure that non-profit associations are no longer allowed to misuse public money to promote political parties."
The government, the statement continues, plans to reduce associations' reliance on optional annual funding, as they judge this weakens their vitality and ability to retain staff. It goes on to state that, following a review of the purpose and potential overlap of thematic credits, a shift to stable five-year funding will be encouraged, offering a more predictable and long-term outlook for resources. Additionally, it mentions that the remaining optional credits will be split between supporting innovative initiatives and contributing to budgetary efforts. The statement emphasises that it is no longer appropriate for ministers to distribute small subsidies to local initiatives at their discretion. Finally, it asserts that, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and European rules, a register of all allocated subsidies will be created to ensure full transparency in the use of public funds, following the example of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
This agreement must be read against a tense budgetary backdrop and the newly formed regional government's vow to adopt a more rigorous approach to spending. It is unclear at this stage if it will impact CSOs positively or negatively.
Freedom of Expression
European Jewish Association Takes Legal Action Against Belgian Magazine Over Antisemitic Column
In August 2024, the European Jewish Association (EJA) initiated legal proceedings against Belgian magazine Humo and author Herman Brusselmans, accusing them of "incitement to murder". In a column in Humo, Brusselmans wrote that he wants to “shove a knife down the throat of every Jew” he meets, his violent sentiments sparked by his emotional response to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The EJA condemned the article as hate speech and demanded a public apology and the suspension of Brusselmans. Critics, including prominent rabbis and Israeli Ambassador Idit Rosenzweig-Abu, expressed concern that such language could incite real-world violence. Brusselmans and Humo defended the column as satirical and exaggerated.