Brussels Daily Press Review — 2026-04-22
🌤️ Weather
Brussels: ☀️ +4°C — Clear and cold this morning, with morning fog that will lift.
Security & Justice
Dilliës calls for more resources to strengthen security in Brussels — The Minister-President is requesting additional resources to bolster security in Brussels, albeit with an important caveat. (Brussels Times | 22/04)
Midi-zone mayors respond to Bernard Quintin — They describe the minister’s statements on the fight against drug trafficking as “shocking and not in line with reality.” The mayors roundly reject the minister’s claims about drug trafficking in Brussels. (BX1 | 21/04)
Bpost strike — Postal services in Brussels remain disrupted by an ongoing strike. (Brussels Times | 21/04)
Tents cleared at Brussels Midi — A cleanup operation took place around Brussels-South station on hygiene and safety grounds. (Brussels Times | 21/04)
25 years’ prison for burglar who killed a 94-year-old — A burglar has been sentenced to 25 years for fatal theft at the home of a 94-year-old victim. (Brussels Times | 21/04)
Politics & Institutions
De Wever government gives energy a boost — €80 million for three months for commuters driving to work and the most vulnerable households. (Brussels Times | 22/04)
Pension reform: paternity leave questioned — CD&V and Vooruit are demanding that paternity leave count towards early retirement; the government is examining the issue. (Brussels Times | 21/04)
Aline Godfrin (MR) expands her role to the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles — The MR parliamentarian is extending her political functions to the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. (BX1 | 21/04)
Moody’s downgrades Wallonia and the French and Flemish Communities — The credit rating agency has lowered its ratings for Wallonia and both language communities due to financial concerns. (Brussels Times | 22/04)
The King begins an unprecedented tour of Belgium — To strengthen links between Flanders and Wallonia across all regions of the country. (Brussels Times | 21/04)
Namur municipal council interrupted by disagreement over Lebanon support — The Namur city council was suspended following a dispute over a motion to express support for Lebanon. (Brussels Times | 22/04)
Aliens law: the Council for Alien Law Litigation’s draft ruling raises many questions — The draft revision of the jurisdiction handling immigration litigation is raising many questions among lawyers and NGOs. (Brussels Times | 22/04)
Retention bonuses: 2 million young entrepreneurs registered in the EU in 2025 — The European platform for young entrepreneurs now counts 2 million registered entrepreneurs across the EU in 2025. (Brussels Times | 21/04)
Transport & Mobility
LETEC replaces paper timetables with QR codes — No more paper schedule cards at Walloon bus stops. Travelers can now scan a QR code to check bus schedules. (Brussels Times | 22/04)
STIB tackles harassment: new campaign — (BX1 | 21/04)
Quieter trains purchase: French Community defends cost of Canada mission — The French Community is justifying the cost of a mission to Canada to purchase new, quieter trains. (Brussels Times | 21/04)
Charleroi refuses to close small stations — The city of Charleroi is refusing to close small stations in its network, as part of regional transport policy. (Brussels Times | 21/04)
EU & International
Middle East war — Trump announces ceasefire extension, Iran blockade maintained; Pakistani mediator welcomes the decision. (Brussels Times | 22/04)
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: EU member states remain divided on suspending the association agreement with Israel. The 27 EU member states cannot reach agreement on a possible suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. (Brussels Times | 21/04)
Belgium: €100 million for Ukraine — Belgium is allocating €100 million for the purchase of military equipment for Ukraine. (Brussels Times | 21/04)
Society & Education
Should religious education become optional? — “School is the last place where segregation is made on the basis of religious convictions.” A debate on the future of religious education in Brussels schools. (BX1 | 21/04)
ULB trial after pro-Palestinian occupation — Civil parties denounce a “climate of hatred” at the trial following the pro-Palestinian occupation of the campus. (BX1 | 21/04)
Samusocial launches pilot project regulating alcohol consumption in Brussels — “A project totally aligned with our values.” Samusocial aims to support problematic alcohol consumption. (BX1 | 21/04)
STIB launches anti-harassment campaign on public transport — With dancer Jeny Bonsenge, “we approach this issue from a different point of view.” The campaign aims to raise awareness among both perpetrators and victims. (BX1 | 21/04)
Flemish teachers strike on Wednesday — Staff at Flemish community institutions are observing a strike day. (RTBF | 21/04)
Leuven awarded for inclusion and diversity — The city of Leuven received a silver medal at the European Capitals awards, for its inclusion and diversity policy. (RTBF | 21/04)
Environment & Air Quality
IRCEL/BelAQI — No active air quality alerts this Wednesday morning (22/04). Air quality is good. (IRCEL | 22/04)
Culture & Events
Brussels announces special events for Pride’s 30th anniversary — Brussels is preparing for a full year of celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of Pride Brussel. (Brussels Times | 21/04)
Maison du Roi: City of Brussels launches façade and roof restoration — “A setting unknown to many Brussels residents.” The historic building is getting a thorough renovation. (BX1 | 21/04)
Oddities
Youth organisations: change social media, don’t ban it — Youth organisations are calling for a different approach to social media rather than a ban, in the context of digital literacy. (Brussels Times | 22/04)
“Emergency kit”: Belgians advised to stock supplies for 72 hours — The Belgian government is urging citizens to prepare an emergency kit for emergency situations. (Brussels Times | 22/04)
New residents near Brussels nightclubs will have to adapt — New residents settling near Brussels nightclubs are being informed about noise nuisance and will need to adapt to the nightlife. (Brussels Times | 22/04)
Is digital piracy making a comeback in Belgium? — There are signs that illegal content distribution via the internet is rising again in Belgium. (Brussels Times | 22/04)
New online scam targeting grieving families — Scammers are exploiting grieving families by offering false services after the death of a loved one. (Brussels Times | 21/04)
Criminal investigation into OpenAI and ChatGPT opened in California — US authorities have opened a criminal investigation into OpenAI and ChatGPT in California over potential data protection issues. (RTBF | 21/04)