193 people under protection in Belgium; 54 new cases this year

Belgium's National Crisis Centre (NCCN) has seen a significant rise in individuals requiring protection due to threats. In the first six months of 2026, the center opened 54 new dossiers for people facing threats related to their professional, functional, or social roles. These individuals include politicians, police officers, civil servants, and magistrates.

The number of people under the NCCN's protection has grown substantially, reaching 193 currently, compared to 157 last year. The 54 new dossiers opened this year involve 81 individuals, an increase from 46 dossiers covering 59 people in the same period last year. The NCCN suggests this rise is partly due to increased attention and quicker reporting of threatened situations.

However, the center also points to the growing influence of organized crime over the past five years as a contributing factor to the escalating threats. To determine necessary protective measures, the NCCN collaborates with the Coordination Body for Threat Analysis (OCAD) for terror or extremist threats, and with the Federal Police for organized crime issues.

Protective measures can range from advice and regular police patrols to adjustments in living environments and avoiding certain locations. In rare, severe cases, close personal protection or even relocation to a secure residence may be implemented. The NCCN emphasizes that such drastic measures are reserved for serious and concrete threats due to their significant impact on the individual and their surroundings.

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Such measures have a particularly large impact on the person involved and their environment and are therefore only taken in the event of serious and very concrete threats.