Politics in Belgium

Belgium is a federal, representative democratic, constitutional monarchy. If that sounds like a mouthful, wait until you read further to understand the structure of this little European country you have chosen to call home.

Some will argue the real governmental power in Belgium lies with the provinces and the municipalities. After all, these are the local institutions most of us will need to interact with in our everyday lives.  

If you read about the different roles and responsibilities of the Belgian national, regional, and local government, you would not be surprised to learn that running all these government bodies requires a lot of people. Of the Belgians you've met while living here, we bet quite a few may have jobs in some national, regional, and local institutions. Given this is a representative democratic nation, most of these people are elected, right? Not exactly.

Check out this year's candidates on national broadcaster VRT's website. You can click through to find the parties and the candidates. Not from Leuven? No problem; you can adjust the settings for your location.

In 2024 there are candidates running in the Leuven elections from 9 different parties - here our some tips to help you explore the local issues and do your research before you cast your vote on 13 October.

Everything you need to know about the popular surveys to help you learn about different political parties locally and how your views connect with their policies.

Are you going to vote in the local elections on October 13? This article will help you prepare to use the machine and learn some helpful Dutch phrases.

This article is full of helpful Dutch words and vocabulary that you will come across on voting day.

Can't be here on 13 October to cast your vote yourself? You can nominate a proxy to vote for you - make sure you complete the paperwork in time. The city's website has all the details on how to set up a proxy.

Check out the city's website for a map of all the polling stations, information on how to get there, and disability support on the day.

With Flanders ending mandatory attendance at polling stations for the first time, VRT's Colin Clapson wonders: will everybody stay home? Check out his article, on why the local elections are a little different this year.

In 2024, international Leuvenaars could have up to 14.7% of the voter share – the last time, the winner and runner-up were only 3.7% apart.

We've crunched the numbers: internationals are the swing vote locally.

Here's a snapshot about the roles and responsibilities of local government, and just how much they influence daily life in your area.

We hear many questions and rumours about voting in Belgium - here are some of the most common questions and answers

Only a couple of thousand votes determine the outcome of the elections in Leuven, so if all the internationals voted, it could have a decisive effect on who wins. Belgians are signed up automatically, but internationals have to actively register to vote.

The Bulletin's take on why it's important to vote in the municipal elections - this is Brussels-centric, but still relevant for internationals elsewhere in Belgium.

Belgian politics is complicated and in 2024, the Belgians took to the polls for EU, Federal and Regional elections. Here's the Brussels Times explainer about those levels. Note: these are the levels above the local (municipal) elections that will take place in October!

Practice your Dutch (or turn autotranslate) to read VRT's take on the issues at the heart of this year's election in Leuven.

Check out the news and issues around the local elections in the different Brabant regions on the local news site of ROB.tv

VRT's political journalist Tim Pauwels explores the numbers around how many non-EU citizens come to Belgium legally each year and dives deeper into what we know about their demographics.

Flander's state-funded broadcaster VRT has a page all about the 2024 elections. We'd like to draw your attention to halfway down the page, where political journalist Ivan De Vadder explains each Belgian party in a one-minute video. A great place to start getting to know the Belgian landscape.

Only a couple of thousand votes determine the outcome of the elections in Leuven, so if all the internationals voted, it could have a decisive effect on who wins. Belgians are signed up automatically, but internationals have to actively register to vote.

Talking about voting can be a tricky subject - here are some top tips inspired by our guest speaker Dr Thomas Huddleston.

In 2024, voter registration rates in Leuven exceeded previous years and even the national average!