Brussels is increasingly grappling with a surge of drug-related street violence. In just eight months this year, prosecutors recorded 57 shootings, 20 of them in the summer alone. Prosecutor Julien Moinil, now under police protection after receiving threats, has warned: "Anyone in Brussels could be hit by a bullet."
With resources stretched and efforts to bolster the police faltering, Security Minister Bernard Quintin has proposed deploying soldiers to the streets. His initiative is part of a broader federal plan to tighten control in major cities. Yet the region’s political crisis, along with opposition demands to first meet the prosecutor’s funding requests, casts doubt on the effectiveness of such a move.
Belgium’s Security and Home Affairs Minister Bernard Quintin intends to send soldiers onto Brussels’ streets to tackle rising drug violence, a plan that is now close to realization. "The army has a duty to defend the integrity of the territory. Normally soldiers do this at our borders or far from the country. But the war against drug crime also falls under the protection of our territory," he told De Standaard in an interview published Saturday.
The Belgian capital has in recent months been hit by a wave of drug-related shootings. In August, Brussels prosecutor Julien Moinil counted 57 incidents since the start of the year, 20 of them in the summer alone. The prosecutor himself is under police protection after receiving threats from traffickers. He had earlier requested €10 million to strengthen security but said he was not given the resources. "Anyone in Brussels could be hit by a bullet," he warned.
Ahead of budget negotiations, Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden is demanding an additional €1 billion for her department. Quintin, a Brussels native, had already called the situation "catastrophic" last spring, mocking the brazenness of dealers. "I’m exaggerating, of course, but we’ve almost reached the point where someone sets up a chair, lays out a table, and opens an umbrella," he said in an interview.
Under the new plan, soldiers will patrol in mixed units alongside police. Operations will focus on metro stations and neighborhoods such as Peterbos in the Anderlecht district. The political decision has already been taken, but the details still need to be worked out. "I insist on rapid implementation," the minister stressed.
Defense Minister Theo Francken confirmed that the legal framework for deploying the army onto the streets has been prepared and that the draft will soon go before the Council of Ministers. "Our capital, Brussels, is a security disaster. We must regain control," he wrote on X.
The initiative has drawn criticism. "Perhaps we should first allocate the €10 million Julien Moinil requested to address insecurity? No legal framework is needed for that," remarked Frederik De Gucht of the Open VLD party.
Quintin’s proposal is part of a broader plan for major cities, which includes expanded video surveillance and other measures. Beyond Brussels, it covers Antwerp, Ghent, Liège, Charleroi, and Mons. The push for tighter control comes against the backdrop of a prolonged regional political crisis: after the June 2024 elections, Brussels has yet to form a government. David Leisterh, the MR leader in Brussels, warned that new elections might be required. The party’s national leader, Georges-Louis Bouchez, said Brussels will "inevitably" come under national authority.