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Tens of thousands marched in Brussels to protest NATO-backed defence spending and harsh austerity measures. Trade unions, civil society groups, and anti-war activists demanded investment in wages, pensions, and public services instead of meeting US-pushed military targets. Anger grew over the proposed five percent GDP defence goal, which many say stems from Donald Trump’s influence. The protest coincided with a national strike and the NATO 2025 summit in The Hague, where defence budgets were on the agenda.