Belgium’s justice system faces pressure amid rising drug-related crime
Chronic underfunding and structural inefficiencies continue to hamper the judicial system, even as violent incidents linked to organized crime escalate. Experts and officials warn that these shortcomings are contributing to a sense of impunity among criminal networks.
Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden has called for an additional €1 billion ($1.1 billion) to strengthen the system, proposing that funds be split evenly between operational costs and infrastructure improvements. Her plan includes tougher sentences for drug lords, mandatory drug testing in prisons, and a scheme requiring wealthy inmates to contribute to the cost of their incarceration.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Bernard Quintin has stirred debate by suggesting that the military could be deployed in major cities to respond to rising drug-related violence. Organized crime has also directly targeted political figures; during the previous legislative term, a justice minister was forced into hiding after receiving death threats linked to criminal networks.
Overcrowding remains a severe problem. More than 2,500 convicted offenders are either under electronic monitoring or awaiting prison placement, while prison staff report that 499 inmates are currently sleeping on the floor across 19 facilities, with Flanders particularly affected.
Despite public spending on law enforcement on par with neighboring countries, Belgium’s courts and prisons are producing weaker outcomes. Analysts argue that long-standing calls for structural reform and improved management have yet to yield meaningful results.
Public trust in the justice system is declining. The fifth Justice Barometer shows that barely half of the population expresses confidence, with trust lowest among working-class citizens and highest among the upper middle class.
Concerns are echoed within the judiciary itself. A magistrate investigating organized crime in Antwerp recently warned that Belgium risks becoming a “narco-state” characterized by illegal economies, corruption, and escalating violence.
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