Belgium Faces First Mass Protest against New Gov’t

Local Editor

Tens of thousands of Belgians gathered for a huge march through the capital Brussels on Thursday in the first mass protest against the new center-right government's austerity policies.

The march is the first in a series of rallies and strikes against economic and social reforms announced by Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, a French-speaking liberal who heads an unprecedented center-right coalition that includes Flemish nationalists.

Major strikes are expected in the Belgian provinces over the next few weeks before a general strike is held throughout the kingdom on December 15.

Protesters waved flares and held banners as they massed for the start of the march.
Additionally, workers and staff at steel firms, the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge, the post office and in education are also planning to stage a work slowdown.
Police said they expected as many as 80,000 demonstrators while the unions hope more than 100,000 protesters will show up.

The unions as well as the socialist, green and extreme left parties oppose a decision to scrap plans for the usual automatic cost-of-living raises next year.

They also reject plans to raise the retirement age from 65 to 66 from 2025 and to 67 in 2030.

Furthermore, the new government is also aiming to impose cost-cutting measures on the civil service as well as in the fields of culture and scientific research.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team