Belgium braces for strike over budget cuts

Belgium was hit on Monday by the first of three days of nationwide protests against government spending cuts, which are expected to bring much of the country to a grinding halt this week.

Workers on the railways and public transport were the first to take action, with the national rail company SNCB preparing to run no more than two-thirds of its usual services, and Eurostar trains between the capital, Brussels, and Paris also likely to be affected.

On Tuesday, workers in sectors including healthcare and education were due to take action, with a full national walkout planned for Wednesday, which is expected to lead to a complete shutdown at the country's two main airports. Trash collection and prison services are among other sectors that may also be affected.

The strike action went ahead despite the coalition government, headed by Prime Minister Bart De Wever, finally agreeing on a budget deal in the early hours of Monday, after months of dispute over how the country should go about reducing its debt, which is one of the highest among European Union member states.

The daily financial newspaper De Tijd reported that measures agreed upon included cuts in government spending, a new tax on banks, and increased taxes on items such as air tickets and natural gas.

"Work today, and reap the fruits tomorrow," De Wever said of the announcement, adding in an interview on public broadcaster RTBF. "We had a big mountain to climb …everyone is going to feel some of the impact of what we are asking for."

But it was the reform of the pension system that was the main driver behind the strike action, jointly called by the General Labour Federation of Belgium, the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions and the General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium, and which was the first unified effort after smaller protests had already taken place in previous months.

The Belga News Agency quoted the unions organizing the strikes, saying: "The chaos surrounding the pension measures is immense.

"More than half of the women in our country will be affected by the pension penalty. The government has already proposed many harsh and unjust interventions regarding flexibility and working hours."

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