Unions test their power against De Wever’s austerity drive
Belgium’s trade unions are putting direct pressure on prime minister Bart De Wever and his fragile coalition, as more than 100,000 people are expected to take to the streets of Brussels on Tuesday in protest against the government’s austerity plans.
The demonstration, expected to be one of the largest since 2014, is a show of force aimed not only at De Wever’s N-VA, but also at the leftist and centrist coalition partners CD&V and Vooruit, whose support is crucial in ongoing budget talks.
Ann Vermorgen, head of the Christian union ACV, made clear in an interview on Radio 1 on Tuesday morning that the strike was designed to force political movement. “The prime minister always says there is no alternative,” she said. “But there are alternatives: a capital gains tax, a wealth tax, a digital tax. It can and must be done differently.”
Vermorgen accused the government of targeting “the same groups time and again” while leaving loopholes for the wealthy. “Reforms must be fair,” she said. “Everyone must contribute proportionally.”
She added that unions expected “the centre-left parties to take the lead” in restoring balance. That is a clear message to Christian democrats CD&V and socialists Vooruit, who are under growing pressure from their traditional social bases.
Union power
Tuesday’s strike is therefore more than a protest. It is a show of force by Belgium’s unions at a moment when the government is clashing over how to find 10 billion euros in savings. By paralysing much of the country, the unions are testing De Wever’s authority and exploiting the growing cracks between his coalition partners.
Some of De Wever’s proposals, including an index jump, stricter unemployment rules and a possible VAT hike, are already splitting the coalition. For CD&V and Vooruit, both worried about losing their traditional base, the strike is a warning.
And while Belgium’s unions may no longer be tied as closely to their old party allies, they remain some of the strongest in Europe. Representing about half of all workers and holding a formal role in policymaking, they still have the power to shake governments.
“Taking to the streets always increases the pressure”
By paralysing transport networks, closing airports and bringing tens of thousands into the streets, the unions hope to send a message the government cannot ignore. “Taking to the streets always increases the pressure,” Vermorgen told Radio 1. “It makes politicians uncomfortable, and that’s our job.”
De Wever, whose State of the Union address was postponed amid coalition deadlock, insists the cuts are unavoidable. But with both CD&V and Vooruit uneasy about the social impact of the measures, and unions keeping up the pressure, the prime minister faces a growing crisis.
Protesters during a joint demonstration in Brussels against the De Wever government’s measures © BELGA PHOTO MARIUS BURGELMAN