The mayor is among the elected officials closest to the citizens. How are they designated? Once is not customary, it depends on where you are in Belgium.
In Wallonia and Flanders, the mayor is the one who has received the most preferential votes within the most popular list which participates in the majority pact. In other words, it is the person who received the most votes within the party who won the municipal election.
In Brussels, it’s different. The mayor must have two votes to be appointed. He must first obtain the majority of votes from the members of the municipal council. Then, he must obtain the majority of votes from the elected officials on the electoral list where he presented himself. It may therefore not be the person who received the most votes from citizens who becomes mayor.
Of the 19 Brussels municipalities, some may have a single list, a single party which holds the majority in the municipal council. At that point, obviously, it’s much easier to decide. But for other municipalities which have a majority made up of several parties, it sometimes takes more time.
municipal elections 2024 mayor
