Belgians protested against the pension reforms that are likely to be implemented by the Government of Belgium. The protests affected flights at Brussels airport with employees responsible for handling luggage, security, and other operations joining the strike. About 40 per cent of the flights arriving at or departing from Brussels airport were cancelled.
Brussels Airlines reportedly resorted to preemptively cancelling half of its flights within Europe in order to ensure that the long-haul flights could continue to operate smoothly.
Public-sector employees working for the public transport and education sectors in Belgium also came out in support of the walkout, lending their voice to the strike. Only a limited number of trains operated across Belgium. The Antwerp port, the biggest in the country, was also closed and so were several factories and offices. Public transport was severely disrupted on 14 January 2025.
Schools also remained closed with teachers participating in the nationwide protest.
Protestors fear that the amendments in the wage and pension system will not be in alignment with the market, and therefore, a dip in quality is expected.
Belgian parties have been discussing the formation of a new federal administration post the elections in June. The future coalition government is planning to increase the retirement age as part of the reforms and measures to save billions of euros and decrease the budget shortage. As per media reports, at least three billion euros are expected to be saved.
