Belgium’s National Strike Grounds Flights, Halts Transport as Unions Intensify Pressure on Government

Belgium’s third and final day of a nationwide strike brought large parts of the country to a standstill on Wednesday, forcing the cancellation of nearly all flights at Brussels Airport and causing widespread disruption to public services. The walkout, led by the country’s main trade unions, is the latest in a wave of protests targeting Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s coalition government and its proposed reforms to pensions and the labor market.

Brussels Airport announced that all departing flights had been canceled, while 110 of the 203 scheduled arrivals were also scrapped. The airport urged travelers to avoid the terminal unless absolutely necessary, saying staffing shortages made operations impossible to maintain safely. Charleroi Airport, Belgium’s second-largest air hub, warned of similar difficulties. It said it expected heavy disruption throughout the day as limited staffing threatened its ability to manage landings and takeoffs.

The impact stretched well beyond air travel. Local media reported that Wednesday was expected to be the strike’s most disruptive day, with schools, public transport networks and a range of private-sector workplaces either partially or fully shut down. In Brussels, commuters faced reduced metro and tram services, and several regional bus routes were suspended.

A mass demonstration was scheduled in the capital for the afternoon, following an October rally that brought an estimated 80,000 people into the streets. Union leaders say their demands remain unchanged: withdrawal of the government’s pension reform plans, preservation of purchasing power and guarantees that workers will not be required to stay longer in the labor force without greater job security.

On its website, the socialist union ABVV-FGTB criticised the government’s budgetary strategy, saying it imposes “longer and harder work” while offering less certainty for pensions, healthcare and living standards. Gert Truyens, chair of the liberal ACLVB union, told public broadcaster VRT that unions felt sidelined during the budget-planning process. “Agreements are not made in the streets at the picket lines,” he said. “That happens at the negotiating table, but you need to be given the chance.”

Monday’s announcement that the coalition government had finally reached an agreement on the 2025 budget after months of internal discord did little to ease tensions. The plan introduces a new tax on banks, increases levies on airline tickets and raises taxes on natural gas. Combined with spending cuts, the measures are intended to reduce the national deficit by 9.2 billion euros by 2029.

The central bank warns the budget deficit is expected to reach 4.5 percent of GDP this year, while national debt stands at 104.7 percent of GDP — both far above EU fiscal thresholds. Union leaders argue the reforms place an undue burden on workers, setting the stage for further discord as negotiations over long-term structural changes continue.