Belgian pension bonus boosts post-retirement workforce by 24% in H1 2026

Belgium's new pension bonus, retroactive to January 2026, has led to a 24.4% year-on-year increase in workers aged 66+ during H1 2026, with 2.03% of the workforce now above legal retirement age. The policy appears to be incentivizing continued employment, though the long-term fiscal and labor-market effects remain uncertain.