Belgium’s federal government is facing mounting criticism after health authorities linked last month’s record-breaking heat wave to over 1,200 excess deaths, prompting opposition parties to accuse ministers of failing to protect the country’s most vulnerable citizens.
Socialist Party leader Paul Magnette led the criticism Thursday evening after the health ministry confirmed 1,222 excess deaths between June 18 and June 29. “1222 deaths during the recent heat wave episode, a 39 percent excess mortality rate, and … 0 measures taken by the federal government!” Magnette wrote on the social media site X.
“The climate and public health emergency, at the cost of hundreds of lives, has failed to shake the lethargy of the ministers,” Magnette said. With further heat waves expected this summer, he warned: “We’re talking about human lives.”
The figures came after what scientists have described as Europe’s most severe heat wave on record, which stretched from roughly June 20 to June 28 and strained hospitals, disrupted infrastructure and affected power generation across the continent.
