Overview

• Brussels Airport canceled all departures after security screening staff abandoned posts, and about half of arrivals were scrapped, according to an airport spokesperson.
• Charleroi Airport said it could not operate any flights because of staff shortages, disrupting a major hub for low‑cost carriers.
• Brussels public transport operator STIB suspended most metro, bus and tram services as crowds marched from Gare du Nord through the city center.
• Police estimated nearly 80,000 people joined demonstrations in the capital, with fires reported on major avenues and local media citing several arrests.
• The government postponed its 2026 budget presentation by a week as unions condemned deficit cuts, limits on unemployment benefits to two years, and the end of special pension regimes.