Brussels: national union demonstration on Friday 9 October 2026 — disruption expected on STIB, De Lijn and TEC

The socialist and Christian unions FGTB/ABVV and CSC/ACV are holding their fourth national demonstration against the federal government's austerity plans in Brussels on Friday 9 October 2026, gathering from 10:00 with speeches at 11:00, five days before the government's policy statement. Participants are covered by a strike notice, so staff of public transport companies can join without penalty.

What to expect: on the three previous demonstration days (October 2025, March and May 2026) STIB/MIVB, De Lijn and TEC ran heavily reduced services and some SNCB trains were cancelled, with Brussels' city centre closed to traffic for the march. The operators normally publish their service plans one or two days before.

Three days later, on Monday 12 October, the socialist public-services union CGSP/ACOD holds a separate strike in all public services, which is likely to affect trains, trams and buses again.

The unions have also given themselves a mandate for a general strike in the week of 23 November if the budget crosses their "red lines" on wage indexation, VAT or working time; that has not been called.