Tervuren’s many foreigners first have to apply for the right to vote in town council elections on Sunday 13 October. But the 31 July deadline is approaching faster than they think, especially with work, children, house and life conspiring to rob them of their precious free time.
Over a quarter of a century ago, the European Court of Justice found Belgium guilty of not allowing EU foreigners to vote in town elections. Even today, some 85% of Tervuren’s foreigners haven’t figured it out. But if ever Tervuren’s 43% of EU citizens and other non-Belgians make it to electoral booths on Sunday 13 October, the pure Belgian town council would look drastically different.
It’s not actually so difficult to apply, especially if you’re handy with Itsme, eID and know your codes. But before Wednesday 31 July, you’ll need to click the right buttons on the dedicated federal government website: https://www.inscription.elections.fgov.be. Town council also hands out complicated (Dutch only) paper registration forms for foreigners to fill-in.
No vote, no cry
A plus point about town elections in Flanders, not Brussels, is that you’ll no longer get fined for not showing up on Sunday 13 October. Obviously, you need to register on time and Tervuren aldermen and women need to rubber-stamp your application, after checking you’re not one of these suspicious criminals or an otherwise disqualified foreigner.
Currently, a full 25% of Tervurenaars are non-Belgian. And if resident for five years or EU citizens then they’re be able to vote. And an additional 18% of Tervuren’s 23,301 souls hail from another country or have parents who moved to beautiful town.
EU foreigners (only) are even allowed to stand for the council. That’s probably one of the few Brexit benefits for the town’s 572 unlucky now non-EU Brits.
Belgium does not allow non-EU foreigners to stand in town council elections. And don’t try arguing that you’ve been here all your life.
If elected on Sunday 13 October, you’d only get paid some €60 for coming to monthly council sessions. And you’ll have to prepare for meetings by reading lengthy official documents on town planning, communal schools and other essential matters in Dutch. But you could finally stop ranting. And you’d get to bore others with your opinions — in Dutch — at monthly council meets.
Top positions on Tervuren’s Flemish party lists have more or less been bargained out. So there’s little chance of non-Belgians getting elected from the lowly positions normally given to pepper lists for the sake of diversity. And there’s even less chance of an EU foreigner getting too many votes and ending up as a €56,000 alderman/woman. Still, it’s not a bad sum to dream of, especially if you can keep your current job as is customary among natives. EU and other foreigners, of course, can never become the €96,000/year mayor, however long you’ve lived here.
Too late for Europe, Tervuren elections beckon
Forget EU elections. You missed the insanely early 31 March deadline to register for Sunday 9 June. And if even you’re one of the lucky few, a word of warning. Belgium is among a select number of countries, including Luxembourg, North Korea and Nauru, that still issues fines and other punishments. So if you actually managed to register do put in a show at EU, national and Flemish Parliament elections.
Flanders has only abolished fines for not showing up for council and provincial elections on Sunday 13 October.
If and when your application to vote is approved by town aldermen and woman, which it should be, then you should receive a letter confirming that you’re allowed to vote. Applications to vote at local elections received after Wednesday 31 July are quite simply ignored.
Key dates
Tervuren elections – Register before Wednesday 31 July 2024
Tervuren elections – Vote on Sunday 13 October 2024
EU elections – Vote on Sunday 9 June
Voter application website for foreigners – https://www.inscription.elections.fgov.be
More information – Federal government elections page.
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Photo copyright: ©EU. Source: EC Audiovisual. Photographer: Lukasz Kobus (child), Claudio Centonze (woman voting). Article by Tervuren+ under the Creative Commons license Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International.
Dafydd ab Iago
Editor