What’s happening in Belgium
Protests over education reforms and rising study costs have spread across Belgium since October 1. A Brussels rally on October 17 ended in clashes with police, while demonstrations in Liège also brought arrests, fires and property damage.
Reading
In a Nutshell
- The protests began in Belgium on October 1, as students opposed education reforms and budget cuts introduced by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, which oversees education for French-speaking communities.
- The reform package aims to save €500 million by 2029. Students and education groups have objected to higher university fees, reduced access to study materials and a rise in teachers’ weekly classroom hours from 20 to 22.
- On October 7, a student protest in Liège turned violent, with dozens arrested and property damaged. Students stressed that their grievances were rooted in Belgian reforms, even as demonstrations in France inspired some of the protests.
- On October 9, tens of thousands marched in Brussels against the federal government’s budget and social policies. Estimates ranged from 30,000 by the police to 50,000 by the unions.
- On October 17, several hundred, mostly young, people gathered in Brussels. Police used tear gas and water cannons after some demonstrators threw objects, overturned a car and built barricades.
- Police reported 195 arrests across Brussels and Liège- 150 in Brussels and 45 in Liège. Five Brussels police officers sustained minor injuries. 15 of the Brussels judicial detainees and 12 of those arrested in Liège were minors. Authorities said the figures could change as investigations continue.
Context
Belgium’s current student protests began on October 1 in its French-speaking communities, where students opposed reforms approved by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation parliament on June 5. The plan targets €500 million in savings by 2029. Students have highlighted higher university fees, difficulties obtaining study materials and increased teaching hours as threats to access and the quality of education.
Demonstrations in Liège escalated, with clashes and arrests reported starting on October 7. On October 9, a separate, more intense march in Brussels drew tens of thousands protesting the federal government’s budget and social policies.
Two days later, a Brussels student rally again ended in clashes. Police reported 150 arrests in Brussels and 45 in Liège, including administrative detentions and judicial arrests; five Brussels officers were slightly injured. Belgium’s interior minister, Bernard Quintin, condemned the violence, while student groups’ central complaint remains that rising education costs and reforms are making study less accessible.