In a bold protest against government pension cuts, Belgian magistrates are pushing back by sending 4,000 individuals with short sentences to prison—despite the country’s already overstuffed jails. This move directly contradicts a request from Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne, who had urged that individuals serving short terms be spared from incarceration to help ease overcrowding.
Belgium’s prison system is currently holding about 11,000 inmates, far exceeding its 9,000 capacity. Instead of expanding facilities, the government has attempted to alleviate the strain by granting early releases, including for undocumented migrants, to create more space.
But the magistrates, irate over proposed cuts to their pensions, have taken matters into their own hands. Not only are they pushing to send 4,000 individuals to prison, but they’ve also decided to shut down communication with the government and parliament. They’ll no longer respond to parliamentary queries or offer advice on judicial matters.
Frédéric Van Leeuw, Attorney General of Brussels, voiced the collective frustration of the public prosecutors, explaining that the government’s actions had gone too far. “At some point, the bucket overflows,” he said. Van Leeuw criticized the pension cuts, which include reductions for retired magistrates, as a disproportionate response. He also emphasized that these reforms failed to address the growing workload in the courts.
The pension cuts, according to Van Leeuw, target those who have already worked long careers, and would amount to a 30 percent reduction for many magistrates who currently receive pensions of €8,000 per month—the highest possible rate. He warned that such cuts would make judicial careers less attractive, as highly qualified magistrates could be driven to find other work that would provide a more secure retirement.
The magistrates’ protests reflect their concerns about independence. Van Leeuw explained that, if pensions continue to shrink, magistrates might look for opportunities outside the judiciary, perhaps in lucrative corporate jobs, just like many former European Commissioners who transitioned to paid lobbying roles. He cautioned that this shift would undermine the integrity of the judicial system.
Not everyone is on the side of the magistrates, however. Kathleen Van De Vijver, spokesperson for the Belgian prison system, criticized the decision to send 4,000 people to jails already struggling with overcrowding. She claimed that the magistrates acted irresponsibly by not informing prison authorities beforehand, calling the move “totally incomprehensible” and warning of potential danger to both prison staff and the public.
This latest judicial standoff is just one element of broader unrest in Belgium. The country has seen ongoing strikes, notably among railway workers, who are also protesting pension reforms, including the planned phase-out of a system that allowed some workers to retire as early as 55.
Belgium’s struggle with pension cuts and an overburdened prison system continues, leaving citizens, magistrates, and government officials locked in a battle over the country’s future.
