Mars Attacks: ‘Our Movement Is Radical, We Won’t Negotiate’
The Mars Attacks teachers’ collective, which has grown from a dozen schools to over 330 institutions across Belgium’s French-speaking community, has declared it will not negotiate with the government over contested education reforms. In an interview with RTBF, spokesperson Maud De Ridder defended the movement’s uncompromising strategy, including civil disobedience tactics that have led to the cancellation of external certification exams in multiple schools.
Background: A Movement Born from Austerity
The Mars Attacks collective launched in March 2026 as a grassroots, inter-network response to education reforms and austerity measures introduced by the MR-Les Engagés government, led by Education Minister Valérie Glatigny. Named after Tim Burton’s 1996 film — which the collective describes as depicting “progressive humanity being duped by diabolical Martians who claim to ‘come in peace’” — the movement frames the government’s reforms as a parallel deception.
The reforms at the center of the controversy include a 10% increase in teaching hours for upper secondary teachers without salary compensation, less generous sick leave for statutory teachers, tighter end-of-career conditions, and a tuition fee increase to €1,194 for 58% of higher education students. The government targets €500 million in savings by 2029 from a total FWB budget of approximately €15 billion. The décret-programme was approved on the night of June 4-5 after a 14-hour marathon parliamentary debate.
‘We Don’t Want to Negotiate’
Speaking on RTBF’s “Matin Première” program on June 19, De Ridder, a French teacher in Brussels and former Écolo local councillor, was unequivocal about the collective’s stance. “Our movement is radical. We don’t want to negotiate,” she said, according to RTBF. The collective demands the complete and unconditional withdrawal of all education reforms.
When asked about the cancellation of certification exams — including the CE1D, CESS, and CEB — in schools across Liège and Brussels, De Ridder expressed full solidarity with the teachers who blocked the exams. “It’s a real victory against a government that is authoritarian, blind, deaf, and completely refuses dialogue,” she said.
Civil Disobedience as Strategy
The collective has openly embraced civil disobedience as its primary tactic. Tactics include strike action, boycott of external certification exams, refusal to encode results, school blockades, and public demonstrations. A strike notice has been extended until July 10, 2026, covering all schools in the FWB.
On June 18, over 100 people demonstrated outside the FWB government headquarters in Brussels, as reported by 7sur7. “There is no question of us bowing our heads, while the voted reforms are about to destroy education,” the collective stated.
Defending Students’ Interests
Addressing concerns from parents about the impact on students, De Ridder insisted the collective would never penalize pupils. “We have always said: we will never penalize students,” she affirmed, arguing that class councils have sufficient year-long assessment data to determine student progression. She acknowledged the situation has created an “extremely trying” end to the school year, marked by “fatigue, incomprehension, and uncertainty.”
Political Controversy
De Ridder’s background as a former Écolo councillor has fueled accusations that Mars Attacks is a politically motivated movement rather than a grassroots teacher initiative. While she rejects the idea that the collective is linked to any specific party, describing it as “a plural movement born in teachers’ lounges,” she openly acknowledged the political nature of the fight. “Our fight is political. We defend a vision of school that is fair, inclusive, and free,” she told RTBF.
The collective’s tactics have drawn criticism, including the publication of names and photos of MPs who supported the reforms, accompanied by the slogan “Ni oubli ni pardon” (Neither forget nor forgive). A false death notice for Minister Glatigny that circulated on social media on June 4 was condemned as a “very bad joke.”
Analysis: A Movement at a Crossroads
Mars Attacks has grown far beyond its initial 13 schools to become one of the most visible faces of education protest in Belgium. The collective’s official website now lists over 330 schools and educational groups, along with student collectives and teacher associations. Its uncompromising stance distinguishes it from traditional unions, which have expressed support for the mobilization while expressing caution about some confrontational tactics.
With the décret-programme already approved and the government showing no signs of backing down, the coming weeks will test whether the collective’s radical strategy can force concessions — or whether the prolonged standoff will deepen the crisis in one of Europe’s most unequal education systems.
What’s Next
The strike notice remains in effect until July 10, and further disruptions to end-of-year exams are expected. The collective has vowed to continue its campaign of civil disobedience through the summer if necessary, while the government has signaled it will enforce sanctions against teachers who refuse to fulfill their duties.