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factoids

{{Politics of Belgium}}Federal elections were held in Belgium on 26 May 2019, alongside the country's European and regional elections. All 150 members of the Chamber of Representatives were elected from eleven multi-member constituencies.The right-wing Vlaams Belang (VB) saw a resurgence in Flanders, and with the New Flemish Alliance (NVA), parties subscribing to Flemish separatism and nationalism obtained nearly 50% of the vote in Flanders. The Belgian coalition of N-VA, CD&V, MR and Open VLD lost more than a quarter of its seats, the worst government punishment in 20 years.WEB,weblink Zwaarste regeringsafstraffing in 20 jaar, Apache, 27 May 2019, In addition, gains for the far-left Workers' Party of Belgium (PVDA-PTB), and the green Ecolo party in Wallonia occurred. Overall, traditional parties suffered losses in both regions.

Background

Following the 2014 elections, a centre-right government consisting of N-VA, CD&V, Open Vld and MR was formed, led by Prime Minister Charles Michel (MR). This government coalition was unique in several aspects: the N-VA participated for the first time, the MR was the only French-speaking party, and the French-speaking Socialist Party was not part of the government for the first time in 25 years.Local elections were held on 14 October 2018. As such, the 2019 simultaneous regional, federal and European elections were held only several months after the local elections.In early December 2018, a political crisis emerged regarding the Global Compact for Migration, which was supposed to be signed but sparked instead opposition from government party N-VA. As the three other government parties as well as a large majority in parliament supported the compact, N-VA left the government and the three other parties continued briefly as a minority cabinet (Michel II) with an unclear status. Prime Minister Michel ultimately offered his resignation to the King on 18 December 2018, who accepted it three days later. As regular elections were scheduled for May 2019 anyway, snap elections were only favoured by N-VA and Vlaams Belang and did not happen, and the minority cabinet continued as a caretaker government until the elections.NEWS,weblink Belgian PM to stay on heading caretaker government, 2018-12-21, Reuters, 2019-06-28, en,

Electoral system

{{Image label begin|image=Provinces of Belgium.svg|width=280|float=left|link=}}{{Image label|x=0.55|y=0.12|scale=280|text=24}}{{Image label|x=0.30|y=0.19|scale=280|text=20}}{{Image label|x=0.55|y=0.25|scale=280|text=15}}{{Image label|x=0.455|y=0.27|scale=280|text=15}}{{Image label|x=0.33|y=0.40|scale=280|text=18}}{{Image label|x=0.76|y=0.38|scale=280|text=15}}{{Image label|x=0.72|y=0.19|scale=280|text=12}}{{Image label|x=0.75|y=0.6|scale=280|text=4}}{{Image label|x=0.60|y=0.46|scale=280|text=6}}{{Image label|x=0.51|y=0.355|scale=280|text=5}}{{Image label|x=0.11|y=0.19|scale=280|text=16}}{{Image label|x=0.1|y=0.6|scale=280|text={{Legend|#fab274|{{Flag|Flanders}}}}}}{{Image label|x=0.1|y=0.67|scale=280|text={{Legend|#f2536b|{{Flag|Wallonia}}}}}}{{Image label|x=0.1|y=0.74|scale=280|text={{Legend|#2385d2|{{Flag|Brussels}}}}}}{{Image label end}}The 150 members of the Chamber of Representatives were elected in 11 multi-member constituencies, being the ten provinces and Brussels, with between 4 and 24 seats. Seats are allocated using the D'Hondt method, with an electoral threshold of 5% per constituency.Electoral system IPURepresentatives elected from the five Flemish Region provinces, Antwerp (24), East Flanders (20), Flemish Brabant (15), Limburg (12) and West Flanders (16), automatically belonged to the Dutch-speaking language group in parliament, whereas those elected from the five provinces of Wallonia, Hainaut (18), Liège (15), Luxembourg (4), Namur (6) and Walloon Brabant (5), formed the French-speaking language group. The 15 members elected in Brussels could choose to join either group. Apportionment of seats is done every ten years in accordance with population data, last by royal order of 31 January 2013.WEB,weblink Moniteur Belge - Belgisch Staatsblad, www.ejustice.just.fgov.be, 2019-06-28, The 60-member Senate is composed of 50 representatives from the regional and community parliaments, plus 10 co-opted senators proportionally divided among parties based on the result of the federal election.All Belgian citizens aged 18 or over were obligated to participate in the election. Non-Belgian citizens residing in Belgium (regardless of EU citizenship) couldn't vote, whereas Belgian citizens living abroad could register to vote.

Date

The 2011–14 state reform changed several aspects regarding federal elections. Starting with the May 2014 election, which coincided with European Parliament and regional elections, the federal parliament is elected for a five-year term rather than a four-year term.The federal elections would from then on always coincide with the European Parliament elections;Article 65 of the Belgian Constitution snap federal elections would trigger a parliamentary term lasting until the next European Parliament elections.Article 46 of the Belgian Constitution However, as of 2017, a law needed for this to take effect had not yet been enacted. Given the five-year term for all three elections, they all coincided in 2019 regardless, as no snap federal elections were called.Additionally, de facto practice is to formally dissolve parliament and trigger new elections by Declaration of Revision of the Constitution shortly before regular expiry of the parliamentary term.

Parties and leaders

{| class="wikitable"! rowspan="2" colspan="3"| Name! rowspan="2"| Ideology! rowspan="2"| Leader! colspan="2"| 2014 result! Votes (%)! Seats! colspan=7| Flemish partiesNew Flemish Alliance}}| N-VANew Flemish Alliance{{small>Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie}}Flemish Movement>Flemish nationalism| Bart De Wever 20.3%33{{party color|New Flemish Alliance}}}}Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams}}| CD&VChristen-Democratisch en Vlaams>Christian Democratic and Flemish{{small|Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams}}| Christian democracy| Wouter Beke 11.6%18{{party color|Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams}}}}Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten}}| Open VldOpen Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten>Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats{{small|Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten}}Liberalism in Belgium>Liberalism| Gwendolyn Rutten 9.8%14{{party color|Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten}}}}Socialistische Partij Anders}}| sp.aSocialistische Partij Anders>Socialist Party Differently{{small|Socialistische Partij Anders}}| Social democracy| John Crombez 8.8%13{{party color|Socialistische Partij Anders}}}}Groen (political party)}}| GroenGroen (political party)>Green{{small|Groen}}| Green politics| Meyrem Almaci 5.3%6{{party color|Groen (political party)}}}}Vlaams Belang}}| VBVlaams Belang>Flemish Interest{{small|Vlaams Belang}}Flemish Movement>Flemish nationalism| Tom Van Grieken 3.7%3{{party color|Vlaams Belang}}}}! colspan=7| Francophone partiesParti Socialiste (Belgium)}}| PSParti Socialiste (Belgium)>Socialist Party{{small|Parti Socialiste}}| Social democracy| Elio Di Rupo 11.7%23{{party color|Parti Socialiste (Belgium)}}}}Mouvement Réformateur}}| MRMouvement Réformateur>Reformist Movement{{small|Mouvement Réformateur}}Liberalism in Belgium>Liberalism| Charles Michel 9.6%20{{party color|Mouvement Réformateur}}}}Centre démocrate humaniste}}| cdHCentre démocrate humaniste>Humanist Democratic Centre{{small|Centre démocrate humaniste}}| Christian democracy| Maxime Prévot 5.0%9{{party color|Centre démocrate humaniste}}}}Ecolo}}| EcoloEcolo{{small>Ecolo}}| Green politics| Jean-Marc Nollet &Zakia Khattabi 3.3%6{{party color|Ecolo}}}}DéFI}}| DéFIDéFI{{small>DéFI}}Regionalism (politics)>Regionalism| Olivier Maingain 1.8%2{{party color|DéFI}}}}People's Party (Belgium)}}| PPPeople's Party (Belgium)>People's Party{{small|Parti populaire}}| Right-wing populism| Mischaël Modrikamen 1.5%1{{party color|People's Party (Belgium)}}}}! colspan=7| Bilingual partiesWorkers' Party of Belgium}}| PVDA–PTBWorkers' Party of Belgium{{small>Partij van de Arbeid van BelgiëParti du Travail de Belgique}}| Marxism| Peter Mertens 3.7%2{{party color|Workers' Party of Belgium}}}}

Lead candidates

The following candidates are the first on the respective party list (lijsttrekker / tête de liste) per constituency.">

Dutch-speaking constituencies {| class"wikitable" style"font-size:95%;"

! colspan="2" style="width:175px;" | Party! style="width:175px;" | {{flag|Antwerp}}! style="width:175px;" | {{flag|East Flanders}}! style="width:175px;" | {{flag|Flemish Brabant}}! style="width:175px;" | {{flag|Limburg (Belgium)|name=Limburg}}! style="width:175px;" | {{flag|West Flanders}}! style="width:175px;" | {{flag|Brussels}}Servais Verherstraeten| Pieter De Crem| Koen Geens| Wouter Beke| Hendrik Bogaert| Sabine de BethuneKristof Calvo| Stefaan Van Hecke| Jessika Soors| Barbara Creemers| Wouter De Vriendt| {{NA}}Jan Jambon| Anneleen Van Bossuyt| Theo Francken| Zuhal Demir| Sander Loones| Elias KartoutChristian Leysen| Alexander De Croo| Maggie De Block| Patrick Dewael| Vincent Van Quickenborne| Mimi CrahaijPeter Mertens| Steven De Vuyst| Bea Knaepen| Ayse Yigit| Ilona Vandenberghe| Yasmine Kherbache| Joris Vandenbroucke| Karin Jiroflée| Meryame Kitir| John Crombez| Tom Van Grieken| Barbara Pas| Dries Van Langenhove| Annick Ponthier| Wouter Vermeersch| ">

French-speaking constituencies {| class"wikitable" style"font-size:95%;"

! colspan="2" style="width:175px;" | Party! style="width:175px;" | {{flag|Hainaut}}! style="width:175px;" | {{flag|Liège}}! style="width:175px;" | {{flag|Luxembourg (Belgium)|name=Luxembourg}}! style="width:175px;" | {{flag|Namur}}! style="width:175px;" | {{flag|Walloon Brabant}}! style="width:175px;" | {{flag|Brussels}}Catherine Fonck| Vanessa Matz| René Collin| Maxime Prévot| Olivier Vanham| Joëlle MilquetAlexandra Dupire| | | Pierre-Yves Dupuis| | François De SmetJean-Marc Nollet| Sarah Schlitz| Cécile Thibaut| Georges Gilkinet| Simon Moutquin| Zakia KhattabiDenis Ducarme| Daniel Bacquelaine| Benoit Piedboeuf| David Clarinval| Charles Michel| Didier ReyndersElio Di Rupo| Frédéric Daerden| | | André Flahaut| Ahmed LaaouejMarco Van Hees| Raoul Hedebouw| | Thierry Warmoes| | Maria Vindevoghel

Campaign

Despite leaving the government coalition in late 2018, it was the explicit ambition of N-VA to continue governing after the May 2019 election. In January 2019, the party put forward ex-minister Jan Jambon as candidate for Prime Minister should the party enter a coalition.NEWS,weblink De Wever is kandidaat om Vlaams minister-president te worden, Jambon kandidaat-premier, Bourgeois gaat Europees, 14 January 2019, VRTNWS, A continuation of the "Swedish coalition"So named after blue for the Reform Movement and the Flemish Liberals and Democrats, yellow for the New Flemish Alliance and the cross for Christian Democratic and Flemish. (N-VA, MR, CD&V and Open Vld), potentially expanded with cdH, was a likely scenario. Outgoing Prime Minister Charles Michel (MR) was candidate to continue in his position.NEWS,weblink Charles Michel est le candidat Premier ministre du MR, 17 April 2019, 7sur7, Meanwhile, the French-speaking Socialist Party (PS) had the ambition to re-enter government as well, or "re-conquer" as formulated by leader Elio Di Rupo, after being in the opposition at federal level and being ousted from the Walloon government.NEWS,weblink Di Rupo (PS): "Het is tijd voor de herovering. We zijn het enige geloofwaardige linkse alternatief", 11 January 2019, Het Laatste Nieuws, Additionally, there was speculation that the Flemish liberal and green parties (Open Vld and Groen) would favour cooperating, given Groen's recent rise and their local governing coalitions in cities like Mechelen, Gent and Oostende. However, their French-speaking counterparts, MR and Ecolo, are politically and ideologically further apart.NEWS,weblink Blauw en groen kunnen elkaar vinden in 2019, 8 December 2018, De Standaard, NEWS,weblink De blauw-groene motor loopt in Vlaanderen misschien warm, maar in Franstalig België helemaal niet, 11 January 2019, VRTNWS,

Retiring incumbents

The following incumbent members of the Chamber of Representatives announced their retirement from (national) politics:

• Hans Bonte (sp.a, Flemish Brabant)NEWS,weblink Hans Bonte stopt met nationale politiek, De Morgen, 23 April 2018,
• Peter Dedecker (N-VA, East Flanders)NEWS,weblink Peter Dedecker (N-VA) stopt in 2019 met actieve politiek, De Standaard, 11 December 2017,
• Alain Mathot (PS, Liège)NEWS,weblink Alain Mathot annonce renoncer à se présenter aux prochains scrutins, Le Vif, 30 June 2018,
• Laurette Onkelinx (PS, Brussels)NEWS,weblink Onkelinx stopt met actieve politiek in 2019, De Standaard, 13 September 2017,
• Goedele Uyttersprot (N-VA, East Flanders)NEWS,weblink Goedele Uyttersprot (N-VA) keert niet meer terug naar Kamer, 21 January 2018, De Standaard,
• Dirk Van der Maelen (sp.a, East Flanders)NEWS,weblink SP.A'er Dirk Van der Maelen is geen kandidaat meer in 2019, deredactie.be, 5 July 2017,
• Eric Van Rompuy (CD&V, Flemish Brabant)NEWS,weblink Eric Van Rompuy stopt in 2019: 'Er is een tijd van komen en gaan', De Standaard, 7 February 2017,
• Peter Vanvelthoven (sp.a, Limburg)NEWS,weblink Peter Vanvelthoven (sp.a) stopt helemaal met politiek, Het Belang van Limburg, 15 January 2019,
• Jan Vercammen (N-VA, West Flanders)NEWS,weblink N-VA-Kamerlid Jan Vercammen houdt ermee op, Focus WTV, 21 February 2018,

Opinion polls

Results

{{see also|List of members of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium, 2019–24}}(File:PoliticsBelgium2019.jpg|thumb|500x500px|Map of the largest party in each municipality){{Election results|image=(File:Belgium Chamber of Representatives 2019 v2.svg)New Flemish Alliance>votes1=1086787seats1=25|sc1=–8Vlaams Belang>votes2=810177seats2=18|sc2=+15Parti Socialiste (Belgium)>Parti Socialistesw3=–2.21sc3=–3Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams>votes4=602520seats4=12|sc4=–6Workers' Party of Belgium>votes5=584621seats5=12|sc5=+10Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten>votes6=579334seats6=12|sc6=–2Mouvement Réformateur>votes7=512825seats7=14|sc7=–6Socialistische Partij Anders>votes8=455034seats8=9|sc8=–4Ecolo>votes9=416452seats9=13|sc9=+7Groen (political party)>Groensw10=+0.78sc10=+2Centre démocrate humaniste>votes11=250861seats11=5|sc11=–4DéFI>votes12=150394seats12=2|sc12=0People's Party (Belgium)>People's Partysw13=–0.39sc13=–1DierAnimal>votes14=47733seats14=0|sc14=NewLiberal Democrats (Belgium)>Listes Destexhesw15=Newsc15=Newvotes16=21092seats16=0|sc16=Newvotes17=15075seats17=0|sc17=0Nation (political party)>Nationsw18=0.00sc18=0votes19=10463seats19=0|sc19=NewAgir (Belgium)>Agirsw20=Newsc20=NewPirate Party (Belgium)>Pirate Partysw21=–0.23sc21=0votes22=5949seats22=0|sc22=Newvotes23=5735seats23=0|sc23=0votes24=5682seats24=0|sc24=Newvotes25=5354seats25=0|sc25=Newvotes26=4513seats26=0|sc26=Newvotes27=3217seats27=0|sc27=Newvotes28=2098seats28=0|sc28=Newvotes29=1732seats29=0|sc29=NewVolt Europa>Voltsw30=Newsc30=NewCommunist Party of Belgium (1989)>Communist Party of Belgiumsw31=Newsc31=Newvotes32=626seats32=0|sc32=New|invalid=438095|total_sc=0|electorate=8167709|source=IBZ}}

Results by region

Flanders

{{election results|image=seats1 = 25 party1=New Flemish Allianceseats2 = 18 party2=Vlaams Belangseats3 = 12 party3=Christen-Democratisch en Vlaamsseats4 = 12 party4=Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democratenseats5 = 9 party5=Socialistische Partij Andersseats6 = 8 party6=Groenseats7 = 3 party7=Workers' Party of Belgiumrow8=Others}}

Wallonia

{{election results|image=seats1 = 20 party1=Socialist Partyseats2 = 14 party2=Reformist Movementseats3 = 13 party3=Ecoloseats4 = 9 party4=Workers' Party of Belgiumseats5 = 5 party5=Centre démocrate humanisteseats6 = 2 party6=DéFIseats7 = 0 party7=People's Party (Belgium)seats8 = 0 New>party8=Destexhe Listsrow9=Others}}

Brussels-Capital

{{election results|image=seats1 = 4 party1=Ecolo–Groenseats2 = 3 party2=Parti Socialiste (Belgium)–Socialistische Partij Anders>sp.aseats3 = 3 party3=Reformist Movementseats4 = 2 party4=Workers' Party of Belgiumseats5 = 2 party5=DéFIseats6 = 1 party6=Centre démocrate humanisteseats7 = 0 party7=New Flemish Allianceseats8 = 0 New>party8=Destexhe Listss9ats4 = 0 party9=Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democratens10ats7= 0 party10=People's Party (Belgium)seats11= 0 party11=Vlaams Belangseats12= 0 party12=Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams}}

Senate

Since the sixth state reform of 2011, the Senate is no longer directly elected. The regional parliaments elect 50 senators based on the results of the concurrent regional elections (the Flemish Parliament elects 29, the Parliament of the French Community elects ten, the Walloon Parliament elects eight, the Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region elects two Francophone senators and the Parliament of the German-speaking Community elects one). The elected senators in turn co-opt 10 senators (six Dutch-speaking and four Francophone), making a total of 60 senators.The distributiuon of seats among parties resulted as following:NEWS, Verkiezingen veranderen ook samenstelling Senaat grondig,weblink 23 January 2024, HLN, 28 May 2019, nl, {{Election results|image=(File:Bélgica Senado 2019.svg)seattype2=Co-optedseattype4=+/–New Flemish Alliance>votes1=st2t1=1st4t1=–3Vlaams Belang>votes2=st2t2=1st4t2=+5Socialist Party (Belgium)>Socialist Partyst1t3=6st3t3=7|st4t3=–2Reformist Movement{{efn>Elected members included one German-speaking senator from the Perspectives. Freedom. Progress..}}>votes4=st2t4=1st4t4=–1Workers' Party of Belgium>Workers' Party{{efnvotes5=st2t5=1st4t5=+5Christian Democratic and Flemish>votes6=st2t6=1st4t6=–3Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats>votes7=st2t7=1st4t7=0Ecolo>votes8=st2t8=1st4t8=+2Vooruit (political party)>Socialist Party Differentlyst1t9=3st3t9=4|st4t9=–1Groen (political party)>Groenst1t10=3st3t10=4|st4t10=+1Humanist Democratic Centre>votes11=st2t11=0st4t11=–2|total_st4t=0}}{{notelist}}

Aftermath

The election once again exposed the deep linguistic, ethnic and regional divisions of Belgium, with the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders strongly voting for right-wing Flemish nationalist and separatist parties, and the French-speaking region of Wallonia strongly voting left.Belgian king meets Flemish far right for first time since 1930s, amid fears of 'Vlexit' breakaway The Telegraph, 29 May 2019Election treble spells trouble for Belgium Politico, 27 May 2019In response to Vlaams Belang's surge in support there has been some speculation that the N-VA leader Bart De Wever may break the Cordon sanitaire imposed on the party, resulting in the two Flemish nationalist parties joining forces, by refusing to rule out talks with the VB, as their strong results could make forming a coalition more difficult.WEB,weblink Belgium's 'Black Sunday' sees far-right surge, threatens new government crisis, Euractive, 27 May 2019, 28 May 2019, en-GB, WEB,weblink Belgium's far-right not ruled out of potential coalition, The Brussels Times, 27 May 2019, 28 May 2019, en-GB, The People's Party, a small right-wing French-speaking party, dissolved on 18 June through an internal party vote in response to losing their only seat in the elections. Former party leader Mischaël Modrikamen blamed the "systematic exclusion of the People's Party from the political and media debate."WEB,weblink Modrikamen l'a annoncé: le PP, c'est terminé, 19 June 2019, La Libre, In the days following the election, King Philippe held consultations with all main party leaders, including Vlaams Belang party leader Tom Van Grieken. According to The Guardian, it was the first time a Belgian monarch met a representative from a far-right party since 1936, when King Leopold III met the representatives of the Rexist Party.Belgian king's meeting with far-right leader sparks controversy The Guardian, 29 May 2019On 30 May, King Philippe appointed Johan Vande Lanotte (sp.a) and Didier Reynders (MR), two experienced politicians with a long period of service, as informateurs. They reported on their progress by 6 June as expected,Koning Filip stelt Johan Vande Lanotte en Didier Reynders aan als informateur VRT, 30 May 2019 after which they were given some more time, with a new deadline of 17 June.Reynders en Vande Lanotte blijven informateur tot 17 juni: "Lange formatie van 2010 overdoen, is niet mogelijk" VRT, 6 June 2019 After this deadline passed, another extension was granted until 1 July,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20190623113613weblink">Mission to form Belgian government extended by King Philippe Xinhua, 18 June 2019 and again until 29 JulyInformateurs Vande Lanotte en Reynders werken verder aan preformatienota VRT, 1 July 2019 and one more extension until 9 September.Vande Lanotte en Reynders nog tot 9 september informateur VTM, 29 July 2019On 24 August the Belgian government decided to appoint Didier Reynders as European Commissioner.Didier Reynders (MR) voorgedragen als Belgische Eurocommissaris: "Franstaligen waren eensgezind, Vlamingen niet" VRT, 24 August 2019 On 4 October 2019, King Philippe announced the end of the first phase of federal government formation talks, with the informateurs advising that a government of the N-VA, the Socialist Party and the Greens was the best option to pursue. The informateurs will report back to the king of the 4 November, following which a formateur will be appointed to introduce the third stage of government formation.weblink Royal Central, 9 October 2019On 4 November, the two new informateurs, Rudy Demotte and Geert Bourgeois, offered their resignations to the King, as they could not break the political deadlock.WEB,weblink Belgium's political deadlock is complete, 5 November 2019, On 17 March 2020, the successor of Michel II Government, the Wilmès Government, had its mandate extended. Most parliamentary parties provided them external support in order to manage the coronavirus pandemic. Informal talks on forming a new government began in June 2020.WEB,weblink Crisis in Belgium: Mission Impossible, June 2020, Wilmès II government was eventually replaced by the permanent seven-party coalition — De Croo Government in October, with Wilmès becoming one of the deputy prime ministers.

See also

• 2019 Belgian regional elections

References

{{reflist}}

External links

• Elections 2019 Federal Public Service Interior

{{Belgian elections}}