2009 European Parliament election in Belgium

Last updated

2009 European Parliament election in Belgium
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
  2004 7 June 2009 2014  

22 seats to the European Parliament
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Jean-Luc Dehaene 675 (cropped).jpg Guy Verhofstadt die 30 Martis 2012.jpg Jean Claude Marcourt.jpg
Leader Jean-Luc Dehaene Guy Verhofstadt Jean-Claude Marcourt
Party CD&V Open Vld PS
Alliance EPP ALDE PES
Last election4 seats, 17.43%3 seats, 13.56%4 seats, 13.54%
Seats won333
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 1Steady2.svgDecrease2.svg 1
Popular vote948,123837,884714,947
Percentage14.43%12.75%10.88%
SwingDecrease2.svg 3.00%Decrease2.svg 0.81%Decrease2.svg 2.66%

 Fourth partyFifth party
  Frank Vanhecke.jpg Louis Michel.jpg
Leader Frank Vanhecke Louis Michel
Party Flemish Interest MR
Alliance ALDE
Last election3 seats, 14.43%3 seats, 10.35%
Seats won22
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 1Decrease2.svg 1
Popular vote647,170640,092
Percentage9.85%9.74%
SwingDecrease2.svg 4.49%Decrease2.svg 0.61%

An election of the delegation from Belgium to the European Parliament was held on Sunday, 7 June 2009. The elections were on the same day as regional elections to the Flemish Parliament, Walloon Parliament, Brussels Parliament and the Parliament of the German-speaking Community. [1]

Contents

As a result of the Treaty of Nice – that became active in November 2004 – the number of Belgian delegates in the European Parliament decreased from 24 (in 2004) to 22 delegates: 13 delegates were elected by the Dutch-speaking Electoral College, 8 delegates by the Francophone Electoral College and 1 by the German-speaking Electoral College.

Results

PartyVotes%Seats
French-speaking electoral college
Socialist Party 714,94729.103
Reformist Movement 640,09226.052
Ecolo 562,08122.882
Humanist Democratic Centre 327,82413.341
National Front 87,7063.570
Wallonia First37,5051.530
Rassemblement Wallonie France 30,4881.240
Workers' Party of Belgium 28,4831.160
Revolutionary Communist League 7,9540.320
Committee for Another Policy–D'Orazio7,6260.310
Communist Party of Belgium 7,5330.310
Socialist Movement4,9390.200
Total2,457,178100.008
Dutch-speaking electoral college
Christian Democratic and Flemish 948,12323.263
Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats 837,88420.563
Vlaams Belang 647,17015.882
Socialist Party Differently 539,39313.232
New Flemish Alliance 402,5459.881
Green! 322,1497.901
List Dedecker 296,6997.281
Workers' Party of Belgium 40,0570.980
Sociaal-Liberale Partij 26,5410.650
Left Socialist Party 8,9850.220
Committee for Another Policy 6,3980.160
Total4,075,944100.0013
German-speaking electoral college
Christian Social Party 12,47532.251
Partei für Freiheit und Fortschritt 7,87820.370
Ecolo 6,02515.580
Socialist Party 5,65814.630
ProDG 3,89710.070
Vivant 2,4176.250
Europe of Values3300.850
Total38,680100.001
Valid votes6,571,80293.69
Invalid/blank votes442,6136.31
Total votes7,014,415100.00
Registered voters/turnout7,760,43690.39
Source: Belgian Elections

Candidates

Dutch-speaking electoral college

Flemish Interest
PlaceNameParty# of votes
1 Frank Vanhecke VB161,371
2 Marijke Dillen VB43,974
3 Philip Claeys VB27,763
4 Linda Vissers VB30,167
5 Francis Van den Eynde VB25,598
6 Johan Demol VB32,600
7 Alexandra Colen VB27,686
8 Gerda Van Steenberge VB22,751
9 Bart Laeremans VB24,592
10 Bruno Valkeniers VB33,322
11 Anke Van dermeersch VB41,049
12 Filip Dewinter VB150,584
13 Marie-Rose Morel VB108,629
Green!
PlaceNameParty# of votes
1 Bart Staes GROEN!97,036
2 Joke Van de Putte GROEN!28,556
3 Meyrem Almaci GROEN!28,806
4 Hugo van Dienderen GROEN!10,049
5 Maarten Tavernier GROEN!11,331
6 Rik Jellema GROEN!7,442
7 Sara Matthieu GROEN!18,248
8 Francine De Prins GROEN!12,230
9 Inan Asliyüce GROEN!11,763
10 Philippe Avijn GROEN!6,870
11 Tom Kestens GROEN!9,866
12 Tinne Van der Straeten GROEN!19,116
13 Vera Dua GROEN!39,725
List Dedecker
PlaceNameParty# of votes
1 Jean-Marie Dedecker LDD149,768
2 Moniek Denhaen LDD10,629
3 Derk Jan Eppink LDD13,898
4 Kristof Van Der Cruysse LDD7,405
5 Isabelle Van Laethem LDD9,785
New Flemish Alliance
PlaceNameParty# of votes
1 Frieda Brepoels N-VA67,717
2 Flor Van Noppen N-VA27,788
3 Elke Sleurs N-VA19,575
4 Louis Ide N-VA16,382
5 Hil D'Haese N-VA11,585
Socialist Party–Differently
PlaceNameParty# of votes
1 Kathleen Van Brempt SP.A146,992
2 Saïd El Khadraoui SP.A50,408
3 Anne Van Lancker SP.A47,415
4 Selahattin Kocak SP.A33,444
5 Tom Germonpré SP.A19,173
6 Tom Balthazar SP.A21,864
7 Laila El Abouzi SP.A25,694
8 Myriam Vanlerberghe SP.A25,683
9 Ludwig Vandenhove SP.A22,781
10 Sener Ugurlu SP.A23,333
11 Dalila Douifi SP.A20,748
12 Christine Van Broeckhoven SP.A28,490
13 Bert Anciaux SP.A71,919

Linguistic controversy

Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde constituency

Generally in Belgium, residents of Flanders can only vote for a party list that runs in Flanders, and in Wallonia residents may only pick a Walloon list. In practice this means residents will only be able to vote for a party representing the official language group of the region. (French-speakers in Flanders have, however, joined up in the cross-party Union des Francophones with one seat in the Flemish Parliament).

In the capital Brussels, which is officially bilingual, people can choose either a French- or a Dutch-speaking party list. However, the area surrounding Brussels is part of Dutch-speaking Flanders, but is joined with the Brussels constituency in elections for the European Parliament and the Belgian Parliament. This bilingual constituency, Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde, has been declared unconstitutional and has been a source of controversy for years. Flemings fear the bilingual constituency leads to increased francisation of the Dutch-speaking area surrounding Brussels, while French-speakers claim it is their basic right to vote for a French-speaking party. Some Dutch-speaking municipalities decided to boycott the EU Parliament election for reason of the unconstitutionality, [2] but elections were carried out anyway.

As in previous elections, Francophone parties campaigned outside of the Francophone area, leading to measures from Flemish authorities. Affligem and Halle are located in Dutch-speaking Flanders (although a substantial minority of Francophones also live there) but belong to the Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde constituency. Politicians in Affligem and Halle have objected to French-speaking campaigners in Flanders, and billboard space has been denied by the municipal authorities. In Affligem, French-language posters that had already been put up were covered with white paper. The Francophone party Humanist Democratic Centre has condemned it as an attack on "the fundamental rights of French speakers on the periphery [of Brussels]". [2] [3]

The municipalities of Merchtem, Beersel, Kapelle-op-den-Bos, Machelen, Ternat, Meise, and Grimbergen also said that they would not provide billboard space, in the hope of avoiding French-language posters. In Steenokkerzeel, Ternat, and Grimbergen stickers were distributed, to be placed on mailboxes, requesting that only Dutch flyers are accepted. [3]

References

  1. http://www.eurotopics.net/en/presseschau/aeltere/NEWSLETTER-2009-02-18-Belgian-state-reform-fails%5B%5D
  2. 1 2 "Language rift in Belgian election". BBC News . 6 May 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
  3. 1 2 "Belgian linguistic feud intensifies as elections draw near". EurActiv.com. 5 May 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2009.