"Although the right to freedom of assembly and association has historically been labelled as rather inviolable in Belgium, the coming into office of a right-wing government in 2014 heralded a shift to the detriment of this right. Since then, restrictions on collective action have been piling up, by law and by case-law of the courts. At this moment, a ban on demonstrations is also being debated. Many social and democratic achievements of the labour movement are under increasing pressure. This contribution seeks to provide a brief overview of the contemporary attacks on the right to collective action in Belgium, after discussing how this right has emerged and evolved in Belgium."

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