Public debt in Belgium records 106.8% of GDP

13 hours ago

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Brussels on July 23 / WAM / The initial data published by the European Bureau of Statistics “Eurostat” showed that the public debt in Belgium was 106.8% of GDP “GDP” in the first quarter of 2025, making it one of the European countries with the highest levels of debt; Greece (152.5%), Italy (137.9%), and France (114.1%) are only recorded higher debt levels.

Given the average public debt in the euro area, it reached 88%, while the European Union recorded 81.8%.

Upon comparison with the first quarter of 2024, 13 European Union countries witnessed an increase in the percentage of public debt compared to GDP by the end of the first quarter of 2025, while 12 other countries recorded a decrease in this percentage, and the percentage stabilized in Slovenia and Estonia, according to the European Statistics Office.

The largest increases in public debt in Poland (+6.1 percentage points), Finland (+5.1 percentage points), Austria and Romania (+4.1 Celsius each), France (+3.6 percentage points), Italy (+2.9 percentage points), Slovevakia (+2.6 percentage points), Sweden (+2.0 Celsius), while scored Decreases in Greece (-9.3 percentage points), Cyprus (-8.2 percentage points), Ireland (-6.1 percentage points), Croatia (-3.6 percentage points), Denmark (-3.2 percentage points), Spain (-2.8 percentage points), Portugal (-2.7 percentage points).

The percentage of public debt in Belgium increased, compared to GDP by 0.2 percentage points throughout the year, which raises concern about the sustainability of public finances in the country.