Belgium discusses new militarily trained police unit
Ministers Theo Francken and Bernard Quintin want to establish a reserve unit after recent riots, but the proposal is also facing criticism.
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Belgium is discussing the creation of a so-called ‘gendarmerie 2.0’. Defence Minister Theo Francken and Interior Minister Bernard Quintin want the police and armed forces to work more closely together during serious disturbances of public order.
Francken said he wanted a militarily trained police unit under the responsibility of the Interior Ministry. According to Belgian media, the first proposals are expected to be submitted to the government in the coming weeks. For now, this is a political plan, not a decision that has already been taken.
The discussion follows violence surrounding recent demonstrations in Brussels and Liège. According to its proponents, the proposed unit should be available when the regular police need additional capacity, for example during major riots or prolonged deployments.
Belgium had a gendarmerie until 2001. The organisation was disbanded as part of the reform leading to an integrated police force. According to the ministers involved, the new plans partly hark back to that idea, but would not constitute an exact re-establishment of the former gendarmerie.
Trade unions and local authorities are divided in their responses. Supporters see it as a way of making specialised capacity available quickly. Critics fear uncertainty over powers, excessive military influence on police work and additional pressure on the existing police organisation.
The institutional form, powers and legal basis of the proposed unit have not yet been established.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Belgian ministers are discussing a militarily trained police unit.
- There is not yet a final decision.
- The proposal follows recent incidents of violence surrounding demonstrations.
- The unit would come under the Interior Ministry.
Left
Arguments Emphasises that maintaining public order should primarily remain a civilian and policing matter, and that the structural causes of riots cannot be resolved through military capacity.
Values Civil rights, democratic oversight and de-escalation.
Consequences Fears the normalisation of military logic in everyday policing and unclear accountability.
Centre
Arguments Is open to specialised reserve capacity if legal boundaries, oversight and training are clear.
Values Pragmatism, proportionality and institutional clarity.
Consequences Wants additional capacity without dual chains of command or a weakening of the regular police.
Right
Arguments Sees serious disturbances of public order as a security problem for which the state needs rapidly deployable, well-trained units.
Values Public order, authority and the protection of citizens and property.
Consequences Warns that insufficient capacity could encourage further riots and overburden police officers.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The discussions and proposal have been confirmed by several Belgian media outlets. The institutional form, powers and legal basis have not yet been established.
- confirmed Theo Francken wants to establish a militarily trained police unit. — Belgian media attribute this proposal to him. source
- confirmed The unit would come under the Interior Ministry. — This was mentioned in reporting on Francken’s statement. source
- confirmed Belgium abolished the gendarmerie in the 2001 police reform. — The historical context is widely documented and is not decisive for the current claim. source
Editor's note
This concerns a proposal being discussed by ministries. There is not yet a final government decision or a fully developed bill.Sources
- Defence and Interior Ministries discuss creating military-trained police reserve — The Brussels Times
- La proposition de Theo Francken après les violences à Bruxelles — BX1
- Theo Francken wil ‘gendarmerie 2.0’ — BRF Nachrichten