Heatwave Fury: Belgian Advocate Warns ‘We Will Count Dead’
Christine Mahy, one of Belgium’s most prominent social rights advocates, has unleashed a blistering condemnation of political leaders over their response to the country’s severe 12-day heatwave, accusing authorities of “lightness and carelessness” that has left vulnerable populations dangerously exposed. “We will count the dead at the end,” Mahy warned in an interview with La Libre Belgique, as temperatures across Belgium soared for nearly two weeks straight.
A System Under Siege
The heatwave, which began around June 19 and stretched into early July, placed extraordinary strain on Belgium’s emergency infrastructure. The 112 emergency number received more than 40,000 calls over a single weekend — a staggering surge compared to the normal daily volume of approximately 6,000 calls. On Sunday alone, operators fielded 19,300 calls.
But it was the collapse of the 1733 non-urgent medical assistance line that exposed the most dangerous gaps in preparedness. Patients seeking help from on-call general practitioners found themselves waiting over an hour without any operator answering, as reported by La Libre Belgique. The Federal Interior Service (SPF Intérieur) acknowledged the saturation, explaining that 112 calls received absolute priority, which caused the 1733 backup.
Dr. Catherine Claus, medical coordinator of the Charleroi on-call medical centers, did not mince words: “Patients were put in danger.” She described how patients began arriving directly at on-call centers and emergency rooms after failing to get through on 1733, adding that there was “no anticipation from the SPF Intérieur even though we knew for a week that there would be a heatwave.”
Mahy’s Indictment: A Political Failure, Not a Logistical One
For Mahy, the crisis is not merely a technical failure of emergency call routing — it is a profound political and moral failing. As Secretary General of the Réseau wallon de lutte contre la pauvreté (RWLP), she has spent over two decades advocating for Belgium’s most marginalized communities. Her anger reflects a deeper conviction that those with the least resources — the elderly, low-income families, and people in inadequate housing — are consistently sacrificed when systems come under pressure.
“The lightness and carelessness” with which authorities reacted plunged her “into a black rage,” she said. Her warning that excess mortality figures will tell the true story is a stark reminder that heatwaves are not natural disasters in isolation — they are tests of social infrastructure, and Belgium is failing that test.
A Fragmented Political Response
The political response has been reactive and fragmented. Interior Minister Bernard Quintin has ordered a review of emergency call center organization, with an eye to structurally separating the 1733 line from 112. Climate and Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) called for an inter-federal meeting on extreme weather phenomena — a process that was initially complicated by Flanders’ reluctance to participate, though the region ultimately agreed to send representatives.
These measures, while welcome, have drawn criticism for coming too late. Dr. Claus noted that the SPF Intérieur had the contact details of on-call center managers but failed to alert them about the 1733 saturation. “We received no information,” she said. “If we had been warned that 1733 was experiencing major difficulties, we could have organized ourselves differently.”
The Deeper Crisis: Inequality and Climate Vulnerability
Mahy’s intervention elevates the heatwave crisis beyond emergency management into a conversation about structural inequality. As heatwaves become more frequent and intense due to climate change, the burden falls disproportionately on those who cannot afford air conditioning, live in poorly insulated housing, or lack access to cooling public spaces.
The RWLP, a coalition of 35 member associations fighting poverty across Wallonia, has long argued that systemic policy changes — not emergency patches — are needed. Mahy’s warning that “we will count the dead at the end” is not hyperbole; it is a prediction grounded in decades of observing how crises expose and deepen existing inequalities.
What Comes Next
Several key questions remain unanswered. Official excess mortality figures for the heatwave period will provide the most damning evidence — or the most urgent call to action. The scheduled inter-federal meeting on extreme weather will test whether Belgium’s complex governance structure can produce coordinated, funded action plans rather than further discussion.
Perhaps most critically, the question of accountability lingers. Mahy’s fury suggests that for many Belgians, the heatwave crisis is not an act of nature but a failure of governance — one that, without meaningful reform, will repeat itself with each passing summer.
As one of Belgium’s most respected social voices, Christine Mahy has done what she does best: named the problem, identified those responsible, and refused to look away. Whether the political class heeds her warning will determine not just the fate of emergency call centers, but the measure of Belgium’s commitment to protecting its most vulnerable citizens.