The capital of Belgium and the Political center of the European Union, Brussels, has fallen into a deep crisis due to the effective collapse of the governance system, writes Anton Yeger, an Oxford University lecturer living in the city. He published his opinion in a column for The New York Times. This situation has led to streets cluttered with garbage, a growing number of homeless people, and infrastructure decay. In addition, the city is on the brink of a major financial crisis. The situation is worsened by a surge in drug-related crime: over 20 shootings were recorded just this summer. Yeger notes that Brussels is increasingly being compared to the French city of Marseille, where crime has long undermined Public safety. In a city once proud of its autonomy and social policies, there is now talk of possible federal Government intervention and strict budget control.

Posted by Fred Bassett