Belgian unions are calling for a national strike today that will affect public services, including public transport and airport operations, local media reported. Several tens of thousands of participants are expected to join a protest march in Brussels, quoted by BTA.
The protesters are objecting to the future ruling coalition's intentions to cut budget spending by 23 billion euros over the next five years. The controversial measures affect the payment of social benefits, the retirement age and the amount of taxes.
Today's protest is already having a serious impact on transport services: railways are operating with a capacity of only a third of the usual trains, and Brussels airport reports that only 40% of scheduled flights are operating. Charleroi airport also warned of delays, but there is no information yet about canceled flights.
An interesting highlight of the protest is the participation of military personnel, who are generally not allowed to strike. They are opposing planned restrictions on early retirement. The Belgian army has not participated in such actions for nine years, which underlines the gravity of the current situation.
The protest demonstrates the growing tension in the country over austerity measures and their potential effect on social stability.