As reflected in the number of municipalities above, some municipalities are merging. One of them, Borsbeek, merged with the city of Antwerp, becoming its tenth district.[2] In Wallonia, only Bastogne and Bertogne are merging. The mergers take effect following the 2024 elections, when the councils of the newly formed entities are elected.
The Flemish decree of 16 July 2021 reformed the local electoral process, abolishing compulsory voting in Flemish local elections.[3] Voting remains obligatory in Brussels and Walloon local elections.
The decree also changed several election rules for Flemish municipal elections:
Two-term mayor Bart De Wever (N-VA) is candidate to continue governing the most populous city, Antwerp.[4]
Gent
Open Vld (with mayor Mathias De Clercq) and Groen (with first alderman Filip Watteeuw) are the two main political parties since the 2018 elections. The current governing coalition is composed of Vooruit-Groen (a joint list in 2018), Open Vld and CD&V. Open Vld and Vooruit will now form a joint "Voor Gent" list, opposing a Groen list.[5]
Mechelen
Bart Somers, mayor of Mechelen since 2001, became Flemish minister in 2019 but returned as mayor in November 2023. He will head the "Voor Mechelen" list, composed of the Open Vld, Groen and M+ governing coalition.[6]
