As the date for Belgium's federal elections is based on that of the European elections, Belgians will likely have to cast their votes on 9 June next year – unless another date is agreed on by the 27 EU Member States, but that does not seem likely.
Before the summer of 2024, the Belgian population will be called to vote in the European, regional and federal elections. The two proposed dates are Sunday 26 May and Sunday 9 June 2024, and the final decision will mainly depend on the EU Member States.
The 9 June option is favoured by Germany and Belgium, but Portugal in particular is reluctant to hold a (voluntary) vote in the middle of its national holiday weekend.
Meanwhile, the European Parliament has put forward the date of 26 May, but that has also been rejected by several Member States. However, none of the other proposed dates – roughly every Sunday between the beginning of May and the end of June – is unanimously supported at the European table either.
Related News
- 'Blanco': The new Belgian protest party seeking empty parliamentary seats
- Flanders considers lowering voting age to 16 in local elections
If the Member States cannot reach an agreement on a date, the elections will take place on the "default" date, defined by the 1976 European Electoral Act: the period from 6 to 9 June 2024 – in some Member States, the vote will take place on Thursday.
That default date will still have to be confirmed by the ambassadors of the 27 EU Member States, which could already happen as early as next week.
