Brussels anti-austerity protest ends in clashes

Belgian police used tear gas and water cannon against violent anti-austerity protesters in central Brussels following a march by about 100,000 workers.

The demonstration was one Belgium's biggest labour protests since World War II. The country's new government intended to raise the pension age, freeze wages and make public service cuts in order to keep its budget deficit low. Trade unions also planned a series of strikes.

Strikes severely affected travel within the country on 24 November 2014 as trade unions embarked on a planned month of rotating local actions in protest at government measures to cut income, push back the retirement age and trim social services.

The strikes culminated in a general strike on 15 December 2014. The Belgian airspace closed, as well as high-speed trains from Brussels to London, Paris and Amsterdam and local buses, trams and metro lines.

On the same day, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) published the conclusions of a scheduled assessment to the country's measures to tackle its economic challenges, stating that reforms had been so far a good step, but more would be needed.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Is The New Belgian Government Creating New Jobs? http://www.europeansources.info/record/is-the-new-belgian-government-creating-new-jobs/

Deutsche Welle, 06.11.14: Clashes at anti-austerity reforms protest in Brussels http://dw.de/p/1DiZM

Deutsche Welle, 24.11.14: Belgian anti-austerity strikes hit domestic travel http://dw.de/p/1DsCb

EUObserver, 15.12.14: Belgium paralysed by general strike http://euobserver.com/social/126903

EUObserver, 16.12.14: IMF says Belgian reforms good step, but more is needed http://euobserver.com/news/126938

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