Belgium's 2024 local elections are around the corner. Brussels residents will vote to elect their local council on Sunday 13 October, and indirectly, their new mayor (bourgmestre in French or burgemeester in Dutch).
Knowing how the local election list system works is key to understanding who is running. Find all you need to know about lists here. Our practical guide will tell you everything you need to know before the big day.
Some numbers below are missing. This is because there are a total of 13 lists in Brussels, but not every list appears in every commune.
Current (acting) mayor: Ridouane Chahid (PS)
Current coalition: Liste du Bourgmestre, DéFI
Number of seats on the council: 35
Population: 45,200 (Statbel)
Average income: €14,893 per year (Statbel)
Average cost of housing: The average cost for a flat is €3,097/m2, while the average cost for a house is €2,795/m2 (Immoweb)
1. Liste du Bourgmestre
Lead candidate: Ridouane Chahid (PS)
Number of candidates on the list: 35
Cleanliness: more collections of bulky items to prevent illegal dumping, reinforce street sweeping rounds and teams with an active brigade seven days a week, increasing penalties towards incivilities.
Community: open new secondary school to meet demand for places, increase number of crèche places, offer summer cultural programme of events and culture vouchers to reduce the cost of access to cultural activities, open new sports hall in the Conscience district, promote community policing by opening new police station near Place de la Paix.
Administration: reduce waiting times for public services, create a single point of contact to help residents, a business centre for local entrepreneurs, and vocational training centres for job-seekers, speed up planning permission procedures, and strengthen citizen participation by revitalising neighbourhood councils and holding citizens' meetings.
Mobility: improve public transport services, in particular by building Metro 3, increase the frequency of buses and trams, renovate pavements and cycle paths to make them safer.
Full list programme here.
2. DéFI
Lead candidate: Pascal Freson
Number of candidates on the list: 32
Cleanliness: ensure cleaner streets through underground containers for more efficient waste management, impose sanctions for illegal dumping, install more public and accessible toilets.
Security: combat crime such as theft, burglaries and street harassment with a network of cameras in the municipalities, starting with the neighbourhoods most affected by street crime, encourage the Federal Government to appoint more police officers in Brussels and increase the presence and status of peacekeepers.
Mobility: Banning cars without any credible alternative is not realistic for the party, and municipalities should have the final say in the definition and implementation of mobility plans.
Full list programme here.
4. Ecolo-Groen
Lead candidate: Hicham Talhi
Number of candidates on the list: 35
Mobility: Oppose the development of Metro 3 development as a long term project that will be costly and risks "disfiguring" the town for 20 years, develop cycle paths for entire municipality and improve existing roads (particularly footpaths), promote carpooling, shared bicycles and scooters, as well as SNCB stations Evere and Bordet.
Environment: Ensure implementation of climate plan, develop water strategy, zero tolerance and strict application of sanctions for pollution and other environmental "incivility", more public bins for sorting waste and expanded collection of bulky household items, protect green spaces and limit large housing developments.
Citizen Participation: Open citizen consultation for major projects, create a citizen budget of €75,000, strengthen existing advisory boards, hold neighbourhood meetings between the municipality and citizens to discuss everyday issues, establish a consultative council for people with disabilities and ensure information and citizen participation is accessible.
Full list programme here.
6. MR
Lead candidate: Philippe Michotte
Number of candidates on the list: 35
Cleanliness: ensure efficient and sustainable waste management by reopening and improving the Evere recycling centre, reintroduce an accessible recycling centre service, raise awareness among the population about good sorting practices.
Security: strengthen police presence, modernise infrastructure, promote a culture of collective vigilance to prevent crime and combat incivility, install security cameras, reinforce night patrols and create neighbourhood networks.
Budget: regain control of spending and implement more rigorous, responsible financial management, reduce unnecessary spending and better target investments to create jobs, stimulate local businesses and improve quality of life.
Full list programme here.
8. Les Engagés Everois
Lead candidate: Véronique Mbombo Tshidimba
Number of candidates on the list: 28
Inclusivity: make facilities, local services and activities accessible, support people in precarious situations such as single-parent families, embrace digital technology to connect citizens, fight against discrimination including sexism and homophobia.
Climate and mobility: rethink land use planning so that every citizen can access shops, services and community facilities in less than 15 minutes on foot, by bike or by public transport, reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions by insulating buildings and greening municipal vehicles, as well as producing more renewable energy locally.
Health: give citizens access to medical consultations and local care, maintain quality environment (drinking water, clean air, unpolluted soil, green spaces) and safety for citizens to love without being subjected to violence.
Full list programme here.
10. Vlaams Belang
Lead candidate: Thierry Meert
Number of candidates on the list: 8
Immigration: advocate change to the law to allow municipalities to implement a "settlement freeze" and prevent migrants from moving to the area, phase out all asylum reception centres and local reception initiatives, abolish the right of non-Belgian citizens to vote in local elections.
Local economy: reduce tax burden and administrative requirements to encourage entrepreneurship and work, charge import duties to protect local companies, "sufficiently high replacement income" for those unemployed against their will but strict sanctions for benefit recipients who "prefer to profit from government money".
Security: "consistent prosecution and punishment of every criminal act", give police greater power and judiciary sufficient resources, increase prison capacities, deport any non-Belgian citizens who commit serious criminal acts, and minors who commit crimes should be tried as adults.
Full list programme here.
