Human rights institute warns of erosion of social rights due to government reforms
In its annual report published on Monday, the Federal Institute for Human Rights (FIRM/IFDH) warned that the De Wever government’s recent reforms regarding unemployment, pensions and the reintegration of the long-term sick pose a serious threat to the social rights of hundreds of thousands of people.
In its annual report, FIRM criticises a number of social reforms introduced by prime minister Bart De Wever’s federal government. “Decent working conditions, a proper pension, access to healthcare, housing… Social rights are also human rights,” stated Martien Schotsmans, director of FIRM. “The current reforms affect hundreds of thousands of people. Measures that entail a deterioration of their rights must not simply be implemented.”
Social rights are guaranteed by Article 23 of the Constitution and Belgium’s international commitments, emphasises the institute. The annual report also points out that the government may not lower the level of protection of social rights without sufficient justification. This is guaranteed by the standstill principle: any restriction of social rights must serve a legitimate purpose and the consequences for those affected must not be disproportionate.
In 2025 and 2026, FIRM had to issue repeated warnings about the risk that certain socio-economic reforms – the time limit on unemployment benefits, the return to work of people on long-term sick leave, and pension reform – would violate the human rights of hundreds of thousands of people. According to the National Employment Office, around 194,000 people will lose their unemployment benefits in 2026. According to the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance, the number of people on long-term sick leave in Belgium reached a record high in May: 576,643 people.
The FIRM also regrets that the urgency procedure was repeatedly used in the Chamber of Representatives. This is an accelerated procedure whereby the Council of State has only five days to assess the law’s constitutionality. It was used, for example, for the law designed to get the long-term sick back to work more quickly. It was approved in December and came into force in January.
“Restricting the time available for (parliamentary, ed.) debate increases the risk that measures are adopted which have not been sufficiently evaluated and are difficult to rectify afterwards,” stated the FIRM in the press release accompanying the annual report.
The FIRM’s annual report also contains specific recommendations for the federal government and the Chamber of Representatives. For instance, the FIRM recommends conducting a thorough impact assessment on the human rights of those affected before adopting any reform that entails a rollback of social rights.
Minister of Pensions Jan Jambon and prime minister Bart De Wever © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM
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