Belgian Teachers Strike Against Austerity as Protests Spread Across Communities
Teachers and education staff across Belgium are engaged in widespread industrial action against government budget cuts, with parallel protest movements unfolding in both the Flemish and French-speaking communities. The strikes, which began on May 18, have disrupted schools from Brussels to Liège, forcing students and parents to adapt as the education sector pushes back against austerity measures.
Two Communities, Two Fronts of Protest
Belgium’s unique federal structure, where education policy is managed separately by its linguistic communities, has produced two distinct but concurrent protest movements. In Flanders, religious and moral education teachers demonstrated in Brussels on May 18 against reforms by Flemish Education Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA), while in the French-speaking Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (FWB), unions have called a 10-day strike running from May 18 to May 27, according to VRT NWS.
The Flemish Front: Religious and Moral Education Under Threat
In Flanders, approximately 1,300 full-time teaching positions are being eliminated as part of a reform of religious and moral education (levensbeschouwelijke vakken) that aims to save 80-100 million euros. The reform allows schools to merge smaller class groups per grade, bundle hours into full-day sessions, and use digital or remote learning for these subjects.
Teachers have voiced deep concern about the impact on educational quality. Severine Boccauw, a moral education teacher, told VRT NWS: “In one school my class of 29 students will expand to a group of 36. I have no idea how I can give them quality education and sufficient speaking opportunities.”
Geert, a 57-year-old teacher of English and non-confessional moral education from Limburg, described the personal toll: “For me, the teaching story seems over. There are vacancies in Antwerp and Brussels, but then I’m 2 hours away by public transport to get to work. That’s not feasible combined with caring for my chronically ill wife.”
Frederik Glorieux, director of Sint-Paulusschool Campus Anzegem, called the cuts “a denial of the value of philosophical education” that show “a lack of respect for the teachers involved.”
The French-Speaking Front: A 10-Day Strike and Growing Grassroots Movement
In the FWB, the CSC Enseignement (Christian trade union) called for a strike from May 18 to May 27 against austerity measures by Education Minister Valérie Glatigny (MR) and Minister-President Elisabeth Degryse (Les Engagés). The SETCa-SEL (socialist union) has also voiced support, as RTBF reported.
The key austerity measures in the FWB include a 10% increase in teaching hours for upper secondary teachers — from 20 to 22 hours face-to-face — without salary compensation, tighter sick leave regulations for statutory teachers, and an increase in tuition fees (minerval) for 58% of higher education students. These measures are part of a decree-programme scheduled for a parliamentary vote on May 27, as detailed by La Libre.
The FWB government faces a budget deficit requiring approximately 300 million euros in savings.
The “Chalk Revolution” Gains Momentum
Beyond traditional union structures, a grassroots movement called “Mars Attacks” has grown rapidly. Founded in March 2026 with just 12 schools, the collective had expanded to over 105 schools by early May, as reported by La Libre. The movement, described by local media as a “révolution des craies” (chalk revolution), reflects deep dissatisfaction among teachers that goes beyond established union channels.
Union leaders confirmed the movement’s spread. Luc Toussaint of CGSP Enseignement told RTBF: “The movement is in full growth.” Roland Lahaye of CSC Enseignement added: “The mobilization remains strong and is spreading to Liège and Verviers. Pickets are organized in Brussels and Hainaut.”
Impact on Students and Parents
The strikes are affecting schools across Brussels, Liège, Verviers, Hainaut, Namur, Luxembourg, and Walloon Brabant. Some schools are on full-week strikes, others on rotating strikes with picket lines.
Amandine Tuerlinckx, director of the “De l’autre côté de l’école” school in Brussels, described the difficult situation: “We had a parents’ meeting last night to explain our position and listen to them. They were stressed. We tried to reassure them as best we could.”
Schools are required to inform parents in advance if classes are suspended. If a school asks parents not to send children, absences are automatically justified. If picket lines prevent access to school, absences are considered force majeure.
Political Context and Outlook
The protests come as Belgium faces pressure from the European Commission to reduce its budget deficit. Both the Flemish and FWB governments are implementing austerity measures across multiple sectors, including education, healthcare, and social services.
The FWB parliament is scheduled to vote on the contested decree-programme on May 27. Whether the sustained strike action will influence that vote remains an open question. Meanwhile, the Flemish government has yet to signal any adjustment to its reform plans in response to the protests.
With end-of-year exams approaching, the disruption raises further concerns about how students will be affected. What began as separate protests in two communities has become a defining moment for Belgian education — and a test of how far teachers are willing to go to defend their profession.