Around 400 people participated in the March for Life on Sunday afternoon in Brussels, an annual initiative by CLARA Life, according to the Brussels police.
CLARA Life advocates for “human dignity, from conception to natural death,” and opposes abortion and euthanasia.
“The 2025 edition highlights a painful realisation: 35 years after the decriminalisation of abortion in Belgium, over 500,000 children have never been born,” said Wouter Suenens, chairman of CLARA Life. “How many women faced difficult pregnancies alone during that time? How many were pushed towards abortion due to lack of support, resources, or willingness to listen? Instead of learning from this reality, the government now intends to go even further: extending the legal abortion term to 18 weeks, legalising surrogacy, and expanding euthanasia laws.”
The organisation believes these are steps backward in protecting the most vulnerable. They argue, “abortion is not a neutral medical procedure. It often signifies double distress: that of the child losing its life, and that of the mother who received no support. Today, one in three women still faces professional pressure during her pregnancy. Too often, abortion seems the only option due to the lack of genuine alternatives. Instead of extending the terms and normalising abortion, we must support women with real help, genuine choices, and complete information.”
The protesters are also concerned about euthanasia rates. CLARA Life reports that Belgium registered over 3,400 euthanasia cases in 2023. “Most of those involved do not seek death, but relief from their pain. Yet, euthanasia is increasingly being facilitated, even for people with dementia or minors. We reject a society where suffering is ‘relieved’ by ending life. True humanity means closeness, pain management, and care.”
