'We want a government!' Faces of Belgium protest (10 images)
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Cafebabel ENG (NS)Between 35, 000 (according to the police) and 45, 000 (according to the protestors) people came out onto the streets of Brussels on 23 January to call for an exit to the crisis of their country. Organisers pressurised for the creation of a federal government whilst its participants clamoured for a united country. Belgium hasn't had a government since April 2010
Grey skies, light rain, it's a Sunday like any other in Brussels. But it's never been as packed out on the streets of the Belgian capital. Tricoloured flag-draped Belgians are everywhere as far as the eye can see (Image: ©Nikolas Konstantin)
The organisers allegedly didn't want a nationalistic theme to define the protest but that didn't stop Belgians from draping themselves in their colours (Image: © Nikolas Konstantin)
People aged seven to seventy-seven set the mood for the afternoon's protest (Image: © Nikolas Konstantin)
Students, workers, the unemployed, Flemish and French speakers regardless, pounded the pavements as they cried 'We want a government!' or 'Belgium united!' (Image: © Nikolas Konstantin)
Pas en notre nom is a platform against nationalism (Image: © Nikolas Konstantin)
This pensioner explains he is here today because he is 'fed up. We have to show that we are here and that we want a government. They say we're not the only ones - there was Iraq for example - but what a comparison! Nor are we at war either!' (Image: © Nikolas Konstantin)
Maxence and Eva from cafebabel.com Brussels have reported on the event in French in the blogpost 'Manifestation pour la formation d'un gouvernement : "Nous ne sommes tout de même pas en guerre !' (Image: © Nikolas Konstantin)
'Welcome to Brussels, a multicultural region where everyone feels at home' (Image: © Nikolas Konstantin)
(Image: © Nikolas Konstantin)
(Image: © Nikolas Konstantin)
Translated from Belgique(s) : visages de l'unité (10 photos)