Belgium reaches budget deal as nationwide strikes continue

Breakdown

• Belgium's government agreed on a multi-year budget plan after months of negotiations and missed deadlines.
• The agreement was reached after 20 hours of talks, fulfilling the prime minister's pledge to resolve the issue before Christmas. 10s
• The budget includes tax hikes and spending cuts, aiming to reduce the federal deficit by €9.2 billion by 2029. 19s
• A planned three-day nationwide strike began despite the budget deal, organized by the three largest trade unions in response to proposed pension and labor reforms. 30s
• The strike has disrupted public transport and is expanding to affect schools and public services. 49s