2021 in Belgium

← 2020 2019 2018 2021 in Belgium → 2022 2023 2024
Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	Other events of 2021 List of years in Belgium

Events in the year 2021 in Belgium .

Incumbents

• Monarch: Philippe. ^[1]
• Prime Minister: Alexander De Croo. ^[2]

Events

Ongoing – COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium

• 4 to 5 May – DDOS attack on Belnet disrupts accessibility of websites using the .be domain, including those of the government, parliament, police, educational and research institutions, healthcare, and public broadcasters, ^{[3] [4]} forcing the postponement of parliamentary hearings relating to the persecution of Uyghurs in China. ^[5]
• 17 May to 20 June – Manhunt for Jürgen Conings, a soldier and suspected far-right extremist, goes on the run with several rocket launchers and a machine gun, leaving letters with threats against politicians, virologists and the army command. He shoots himself dead. ^{[6] [7]} Hundreds of police officers and soldiers combed Hoge Kempen National Park without success. ^{[8] [9]}
• 12 June – Belgium national football team beats Russia 3–0 in their first match of UEFA Euro 2020 at Saint Petersburg Stadium. Romelu Lukaku scores two goals and Thomas Meunier one. ^[10]
• 18 June – A school under construction collapses in Antwerp, killing 5 workers. ^[11]
• 14 July – Record rainfall causes beginning of 2021 European floods in Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and then Germany. ^[12]
• 19 to 22 September – The 2021 UCI Road World Championships is held in the Flanders region. ^[13]

Deaths

Joël Robert

• 7 January – Jan Blommaert, sociolinguist and linguistic anthropologist (born 1961). ^[14]
• 13 January – Joël Robert, motocross racer, six-time world champion (born 1943). ^[15]
• 18 January – Jeanine De Landtsheer, classicist (born 1954)
• 22 January – Élisabeth Burdot, journalist (born 1940)
• 30 January - Michel Trempont, operatic baritone (born 1928)
• 3 February – Patrick Lebon, film director and screenwriter (born 1940)
• 10 February – Luc Versteylen, Jesuit (born 1927)
• 11 February – Jacques Crickillon, novelist, poet and essayist (born 1940)
• 19 February – Leopold Lippens, politician (born 1941)
• 21 February – Marc Waelkens, professor emeritus of archaeology (born 1948)
• 12 March – Jos Van Gorp, actor (born 1939)
• 21 April – Henri Mouton, politician (born 1933)
• 20 May – Johan Weyts, politician (born 1939)
• 26 May – Lambert Kelchtermans, politician (born 1929)
• 1 June – Paula Sémer, broadcaster (born 1925)
• 7 June – Dixie Dansercoer, explorer and photographer (born 1962)

References

1. "Philippe, king of Belgium". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
2. "Alexander De Croo named prime minister of new federal government". The Bulletin . 30 September 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
3. "Belgian government websites down after DDoS attack". The Brussels Times . 4 May 2021.
4. Helen Lyons (5 May 2021). "Belgian government websites still under cyberattack". The Brussels Times .
5. Véronique Kiesel (4 May 2021). "Cyberattaque: annulation forcée à la Chambre des auditions sur le Xinjiang". Le Soir (in French).
6. Samuel Osborne (20 May 2021). "Manhunt launched for heavily armed soldier who threatened Belgian virologist" . The Independent . Archived from the original on 2021-05-19.
7. "Belgian manhunt for heavily armed far-right soldier". BBC News. BBC. 20 May 2021.
8. Michaël Torfs (20 May 2021). "Massive manhunt in natural park: man on the run has a past record in the army that triggers (major) concerns". VRTNWS.be. VRT.
9. Zico Saerens (22 May 2021). "Vijf dagen gigantische klopjacht op terreurverdachte Jürgen Conings: wat is er tot nu gebeurd? Een reconstructie". VRT News.
10. Neil Johnston (12 June 2021). "Belgium 3–0 Russia". BBC Sport.
11. "Antwerp: Five construction workers killed in school building site collapse". BBC News. 19 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
12. Karl Mathiesen; Joshua Posaner; Laurenz Gehrke (23 July 2021). "Europe's floods: How a modern warning system was overwhelmed". politico.eu.
13. "UCI 2021 World Championships, Flanders, Belgium. Races". flanders2021.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
14. "Hoogleraar Jan Blommaert (59) overleden aan gevolgen van kanker". demorgen.be (in Dutch). 7 January 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
15. "Belgian Motocross Legend Joël Robert Has Passed Away Aged 77". euroweeklynews.com . 13 January 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2021.