Four months after the legislative elections, repeat! But this time, at the local level. An undefinable number of voters (due to the abolition of compulsory voting in Flanders) must go to the polls this Sunday to elect the municipal councils of the country’s 581 entities, which will soon only be 565, as well as the 10 councils provincial. Added to this are some original features specific to Antwerp (district councils) and municipalities with facilities (CPAS councils).
If this year 2024 is so rich in elections, it is a pure coincidence: the local assemblies are elected for six years, the parliamentary assemblies renewed in June are for five. The proximity of the two elections is, however, not without impact on the strategy of the parties, and observers will hasten to analyze whether the big winners of June, including the MR and the Engagés on the French-speaking side, also reap valuable victories in the election. level closest to the citizen. We will also closely monitor the extremes, from the right and the left: will they manage to mingle with power in town halls and town halls?
In Flanders, the big unknown is the participation rate, because the obligation to vote is repealed at local level for the very first time. Potential voters are no longer “summoned”, but “invited” to come to the voting booth.
In all, just over 8 million Belgian voters were summoned or invited to the polling station, and 162,817 voters of foreign nationality (including 27,780 non-EU), who registered on time.
There are 13,356 municipal councilors to be elected, including 5,243 in French-speaking Wallonia, 703 in Brussels, and 171 in the German-speaking Community. As well as 404 advisors at the provincial level, which concerns all of Belgium except Brussels.
Polling stations open: 8:00 a.m.
