Those tuning into Belgian affairs will have noticed that regional relations are especially febrile lately, with coalition partners in the francophone government (responsible for education and culture) at daggers drawn about reforms to higher education. Resistance to the changes mounted by the governing liberal party (MR) were bypassed as a majority was formed by leaning on support from left-of-centre opposition. MR are seething and have labelled their partners turn-coats of the highest order.
But thanks to the lasagne of Belgian governments (of which there are six, remember) there's a good chance that this bust-up will have passed you by – another storm in a regional teacup that one might consign to the mental spam folder of current affairs.
You'd be forgiven for this sort of attitude; there would be a lot less bated breath if we all took a not-my-problem pill with our diet of daily news. Then again, can there not be a healthy way of keeping the superlative slanging contests at arm's length without turning away blindly? After all, disengaging from politics is a sub-optimal solution to avoiding the associated drama. And it makes way for more extreme views to take root where mature discussion has surrendered.
The barrier for many expats in Belgium is the peculiar structure of authority, which for so small a landmass is remarkably convoluted and seems almost designed to escape comprehension. The intricate web of local, regional, and national administrations makes it notoriously difficult to designate responsibility and frankly is a real turn-off for participating in the democratic process. Case in point: only 16% of expats are registered to vote in Brussels.
But if ever there was a time to exercise your civic powers and make your voice heard, now should be it as the world goes to the urns in a pivotal year of elections. Needless to say, being informed about how the process operates in Belgium, what you must do and what you can do, will ensure you have maximum impact.
The questions that might make you hesitate before plunging into the pool of election-mania are various. But they are not unanswerable. In fact, a handy guide can shine a light on topics that before were lingering in the "no clue" or "something Belgium" recesses of your mind. At the very least you'll be able to smile at the complexity of it all.
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1. Brussels house prices further dropped though flats grow more expensive
The Belgian real estate market continued to slow in the first quarter of 2024, but most property prices still continued to rise. Brussels however did see a slight fall in house prices. Read more.
2. Belgian elections for dummies
As with many things Belgian, the country’s various elections can seem fractured and incomprehensible. For anyone worried about getting tangled in Belgium’s political spaghetti, The Brussels Times offers a simple election explainer. Read more.
3. Brussels parks to open first 'guinguette' summer bars this weekend
From this weekend, the first two guinguette summer bars – which have existed since 2017 – in parks across the Brussels-Capital Region will open to the public for the summer season. Read more.
4. Man attempts to place Ursula von der Leyen under citizen's arrest
A man has attempted to place the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen under citizen's arrest during the European Defence & Security Summit in Brussels on Wednesday. Read more.
5. Belgium in bloom: Spring snaps from across the country
Spring has sprung across Belgium, bringing warmer weather, blue skies, drinks on the terrace and an abundance of rare wildlife. Read more.
6. 71% of EU citizens intend to vote in June
The latest Eurobarometer shows that EU citizens are keenly aware of the significance of upcoming elections in the context of increased global instability. Read more.
7. Hidden Belgium: A war walk in the Ardennes
You can find several walks in the Ardennes that take you through the forests and fields where the Battle of the Bulge was fought in the winter of 1944. Read more.
