Judicial staff in Belgium protest over insufficient resources

By Selen Valente Rasquinho

BRUSSELS (AA) - Hundreds of judges, prosecutors, and court employees staged a protest in Brussels on Friday, denouncing what they described as insufficient resources allocated to Belgium’s justice system.

Demonstrators gathered in front of the Palace of Justice, saying that chronic underfunding undermines the judiciary's ability to function properly.

Participants, dressed in robes and holding banners reading "Democracy at Risk" and "Justice Lacks Proper Funding," highlighted low pay, staffing shortages, neglected courthouses, and insufficient investment in digital infrastructures.

Protesters called on the federal government and parliament to recognize the judiciary as a “full state power” and provide financial support in line with its constitutional status.

They warned that if their demands continued to be ignored, “the functioning of the judiciary will be in danger.”