Belgium’s justice system struggles as country loses ground in war on drugs
Belgium is facing a mounting crisis in its justice system. Overloaded courts and overcrowded prisons are fuelling fears that the country is losing control over organised drug crime, and there is a growing sense of impunity. Despite a surge in violent incidents linked to drug trafficking, the judicial system is hampered by underfunding and structural inefficiencies.
In the past year, Justice minister Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) called for an additional 1 billion euros in funding - half for daily operations and half for infrastructure - to strengthen the fight against organised crime. Her proposals include tougher penalties for drug lords, mandatory drug testing in prisons and measures requiring wealthy inmates to contribute to the costs of their detention. At the same time, Interior minister Bernard Clerfayt (MR) suggested the controversial idea of deploying the army in major cities to counter escalating drug-related violence.
Recent months have underscored the urgency of the situation. Several people have been killed in shootings in Brussels tied to drug gangs. At Haren prison, guards were arrested in a corruption and smuggling probe, and a detainee was tortured in his cell for days without intervention. In Ostend, a man was shot dead in broad daylight, likely as part of a drug-related dispute. The climate of intimidation has even reached the highest levels of government: during the previous legislative term, a justice minister was forced into hiding after receiving threats from organised crime.
Deep-seated structural paralysis
However, beyond the issue of violence, Belgium’s justice system is plagued by deep-seated structural paralysis. More than 2,500 convicted offenders are either under electronic monitoring or waiting for a prison cell due to chronic overcrowding. According to figures shared by prison staff unions with Belga, 499 prisoners are currently sleeping on the floor in nineteen prisons. This issue is particularly prevalent in Flanders.
Despite comparable public spending on law enforcement compared to neighbouring states, Belgium’s courts and prisons deliver poorer outcomes. Structural reform and better management are desperately needed, but successive justice ministers have failed to achieve lasting improvement. Verlinden’s call for urgent investment comes at a time when the federal government is searching for 10 billion euros in budget savings.
And while the justice system is collapsing, trust in it is also declining. According to the fifth Justice Barometer, public trust in the Belgian justice system continues to decline, mirroring European trends but with sharper social divisions. Barely half of Belgians trust the justice system. Confidence is particularly low among the working class, while only the higher middle class shows clear majority trust.
Sense of drift
A sense of drift is also evident within the judiciary itself. A magistrate investigating organised crime in Antwerp recently warned that Belgium risks becoming a narco-state characterised by 'illegal economies, corruption and violence'. In an open letter, she described how billions of euros of drug money are laundered through the property and hospitality industries, enabling these networks to become deeply embedded in society and difficult to dismantle. She stated that corruption has spread to key sectors, including the ports, customs, police, and even the justice system itself.
Belgium's situation is also emblematic of a broader European challenge: how to confront the rise of transnational drug networks when institutions are strained by austerity, corruption, and declining legitimacy. Unless the bottlenecks in the justice system and law enforcement are addressed, the country’s fight against organised crime risks becoming increasingly difficult.
This article is part of a Belga English series offering insights into some of the most pressing challenges facing Belgium and Europe today. The series examines interconnected issues ranging from organised crime and public security to the pressures facing the police, the justice system, and the mental health sector. It also considers national developments within a broader European context.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO JILL DELSAUX
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