As election day draws nearer, EU nationals living in Brussels or elsewhere in Belgium who want to have their say in the European elections on 9 June still have until the end of this week (Sunday 31 March) to register to voter.
Over a third of Brussels' population is made up of non-Belgian nationals, with half of some municipalities even consisting of EU nationals – giving the international community in the city a potentially very large voice in the elections.
On election day, these international residents can head to their local polling station to participate in the elections for the European Parliament and vote for candidates on Belgian lists – the same as Belgian citizens. For internationals, however, there is one extra step: registration.
How to register
The application for registration must be submitted on 31 March at the latest. Expats can easily register online (via this website, either using an ID reader or the Itsme app), send the 'C/1b' paper form (only in French or Dutch) to their commune along with a copy of their residence card, or drop the documents off in person.
Importantly, once registered to vote in Belgium, they will no longer be able to participate in the European elections in their home country.
Additionally, as is automatically the case for Belgian citizens of legal voting age, registered international voters are obliged to vote at the polling station in their local municipality. Those who are unable to make it on the day can appoint a proxy to do it for them (this can be any other Belgian or EU citizen who is also registered to vote in the European elections in Belgium).
Voting ballots for the 2019 European elections in Mons. Credit: Belga / David Stockman
For young people aged 16 and 17, the rules to vote in the European elections changed last week. While they were previously told that they would have the choice whether or not to vote on 9 June (even after they had registered to do so), the Constitutional Court has now decreed that Belgium's obligatory voting rule should apply to voters aged 16 and 17 in "the same way it does to adults" – meaning that it is now also compulsory for teenagers from 16 years old to vote in the European elections. If they don't, however, they will not be sanctioned.
This ruling does not only affect Belgian nationals but also applies to young citizens from other EU countries living in Belgium – making voting obligatory for any 16 and 17-year-old EU citizens who have registered to do so.
This year, voters in Belgium will elect 22 MEPs (of the 705) sitting in the European Parliament.
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- Voting now compulsory for people aged 16 and 17 in Belgium, Court rules
Stressing the importance of internationals exercising their right to vote in their home-away-from-home, commissioner.brussels' communications and project manager Bryn Watkins told The Brussels Times last month that "expats should vote when they can."
"People who come from elsewhere have perspectives to bring to the table. They have seen the way things work in other places," he added. "They have experienced multiple cities, and there is a richness they can bring to democratic and political life."
In October this year, Belgium is also holding its municipal elections – for which expats (including some non-EU citizens) can vote as well. Like with the European elections, they first have to register via a different form. The registration deadline for these local elections is 31 July.
More information on all the elections happening in Belgium this year can be found here.
