Reports indicate that only select areas of EU buildings in Brussels maintained air conditioning during last week’s extreme heatwave, prompting allegations that the European Union operates with a neo-feudal mentality.
According to a report, the European Commission’s Berlaymont building in Brussels suspended air conditioning from the first to the seventh floors, citing “abnormal weather.”
However, the report also noted that air conditioning continued to function on the eighth to thirteenth floors, where EU President Ursula von der Leyen and 26 other EU commissioners have their offices.
This situation has led to claims that unelected officials prioritize their own comfort over that of the building’s employees.
“It feels like a kind of feudal system,” remarked one employee. Another called the situation “disgraceful.”
Interestingly, a staff member on the eighth floor observed that temperatures there were still hitting around 25.7 degrees Celsius (78.26 degrees Fahrenheit) at the end of the week, so conditions weren’t significantly better.
The situation has drawn criticism towards the European Commission, including from Belgium’s leftist MEP Marc Botenga. He expressed that the “contempt” shown towards public servants in his country reveals a broader “lack of respect for workers.”
The absence of air conditioning in many parts of Europe, particularly in Belgium—where air conditioning is generally rare—has sparked a heated political discussion as temperatures soared across the continent last week.
Right-wing populist factions, such as Marine Le Pen’s French National Assembly, are advocating for substantial investments in air conditioning. However, some leftists argue that this approach could exacerbate climate change.
Europe’s aging infrastructure poses risks, especially for the elderly. Research from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health indicates that over 62,700 heat-related fatalities occurred in Europe during the summer of 2024, and more than 181,000 deaths took place between 2022 and 2024.
In contrast, gun-related deaths in the U.S. totaled 44,447 for all of 2024, with over half of those—27,593—being suicides.
