One in three unemployed over-55s has been out of work for more than ten years

5 August 2025
Axel Ronse

Axel Ronse, N-VA’s parliamentary group leader in the federal Chamber of Representatives, is deeply concerned about structural unemployment among over-55s in Belgium. Figures he obtained from Federal Employment Minister David Clarinval (MR) show that no fewer than one in three unemployed over-55s with a career of less than 30 years has been jobless for more than ten years. The situation is even more distressing in Brussels and Wallonia, where over one in ten unemployed over-55s has been out of work for more than twenty years.

According to Axel Ronse, these numbers highlight the importance of the recently introduced time limit on unemployment benefits. “The impact of this reform will be especially noticeable in Wallonia and Brussels, where for decades hardly any effort was made to get people back into work,” he said.

Stark regional disparities in career length

The figures also reveal clear regional differences when it comes to the career length of unemployed over-55s. Nationally, only 18 percent have a career spanning thirty years—the threshold required to retain unemployment benefits. In Flanders, that figure rises to 24 percent. In Wallonia, it drops to 18 percent, and in Brussels, it’s a mere 7 percent.

Alarmingly high long-term unemployment

Even more striking are the figures on long-term unemployment: fully one in three unemployed over-55s with a career of less than thirty years has been out of work for more than ten years. In Flanders, less than 6 percent have been jobless for over twenty years, compared to 10 percent in Wallonia and 12 percent in Brussels.

Ronse insists these figures are no coincidence but rather the direct result of years of failed policy—especially in the French-speaking regions. “These people are victims of a system that keeps them inactive and dependent on benefits. The recently introduced time limit on unemployment benefits is a turning point. It will be felt most strongly in Wallonia and Brussels, where for decades almost no effort was made to support people back into employment. Yet the employment rate among over-55s is rising year after year. And there are plenty of great job opportunities out there for them.”

“I’m convinced that limiting the duration of unemployment benefits will have a positive impact: people will once again contribute to society, employers will find motivated workers, and the state will receive tax revenue instead of handing out benefits,” Ronse concluded.

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