Dutch-speaking electoral college

Last updated

Dutch-speaking electoral college
European Parliament constituency
EP-constituency-BE-nl.svg
Location among the current constituencies
Dutch-speaking electoral college.svg
Shown within Belgium
Member state Belgium
Created 1979
MEPs 12
Sources

The Dutch-speaking electoral college is one of three constituencies of the European Parliament in Belgium. It currently elects 13 MEPs using the D'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation. Before it elected 14 MEPs, until the 2007 accession of Bulgaria and Romania.

Contents

Boundaries

The constituency generally corresponds to the Flemish Community of Belgium, and is sometimes called the Flemish-speaking electoral college. [1] [2] In officially bilingual Brussels, electors can choose between lists of this electoral college or those of the French-speaking electoral college.

Prior to the 2011–2012 state reform, voters could choose between both lists not only in Brussels, but in an area encompassing unilingually Dutch territory, Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde; some towns in the officially Dutch-speaking Brussels Periphery still have this option.

Members of the European Parliament

Representatives of the Dutch-Speaking community
(1979–present)
ElectionMEP
(Party)
MEP
(Party)
MEP
(Party)
MEP
(Party)
MEP
(Party)
MEP
(Party)
MEP
(Party)
MEP
(Party)
MEP
(Party)
MEP
(Party)
MEP
(Party)
MEP
(Party)
MEP
(Party)
MEP
(Party)
1979 Lambert Croux
(CVP)
Paul De Keersmaeker
(CVP)
Jaak Henckens
(CVP)
Léo Tindemans
(CVP)
Marcel Vandewiele
(CVP)
Joris Verhaegen
(CVP)
Joannes Verroken
(CVP)
Willy De Clercq
(PVV)
Herman Vanderpoorten
(PVV)
Maurits Coppieters
(VU)
Marcel Colla
(SP)
Karel Van Miert
(SP)
12 seats
1984 Raphaël Chanterie
(CVP)
Rika De Backer
(CVP)
Pol Marck
(CVP)
Paul Staes
(Agalev)
Willy Kuijpers
(VU)
Jef Ulburghs
(SP)
Karel De Gucht
(PVV)
August de Winter
(PVV)
Jaak Vandemeulebroucke
(VU)
Marijke Van Hemeldonck
(SP)
Willy Vernimmen
(SP)
13 seats
1989 Marianne Thyssen
(CVP/
CD&V)
Leo Tindemans
(CVP)
An Hermans
(CVP)
Karel Pinxten
(CVP)
Karel Dillen
(VB)
Willy De Clercq
(PVV/
VLD)
Marc Galle
(SP)
12 seats
1994 Wilfried Martens
(CVP)
Raphaël Chanterie
(CVP)
Magda Aelvoet
(Agalev)
Marie-Paule Kestelijn-Sierens
(PVV)
Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck
(PVV)
Anne Van Lancker
(SP/
SP.A)
Philippe De Coene
(SP)
Frederik Willockx
(SP)
13 seats
1998 Nelly Maes
(VU)
1999 Miet Smet
(CVP)
Johan Van Hecke
(CVP
/VLD)
Frank Vanhecke
(VB)
Patsy Sörensen
(Agalev)
Ward Beysen
(VLD)
Dirk Sterckx
(VLD/
Open VLD)
Bart Staes
(VU/
Groen)
Peter Bossu
(SP)
Luckas Vander Taelen
(Agalev)
2000 Kathleen Van Brempt
(SP)
2002Jan Dhaene
(Agalev)
2003 Koenraad Dillen
(VB)
Frank Vanhecke
(VB)
Saïd El Khadraoui
(SP)
2004 Jean-Luc Dehaene
(CD&V)
Ivo Belet
(CD&V)
Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck
(VLD/
Open VLD)
Philip Claeys
(VB)
Frieda Brepoels
(NVA)
Mia De Vits
(SP.A)
2009 Guy Verhofstadt
(Open VLD)
Derk Jan Eppink
(LDD)
Kathleen Van Brempt
(SP.A/
Vooruit)
13 seats
2011 Philippe De Backer
(Open VLD)
2013 Mark Demesmaeker
(NVA)
2014
2014 Helga Stevens
(NVA)
Louis Ide
(NVA)
Johan Van Overtveldt
(NVA)
Gerolf Annemans
(VB)
12 seats
2014 Tom Vandenkendelaere
(CD&V)
Sander Loones
(NVA)
2015 Anneleen Van Bossuyt
(NVA)
2016 Lieve Wierinck
(Open VLD)
Hilde Vautmans
(Open VLD)
2018 Ralph Packet
(NVA)
2019 Kris Peeters
(CD&V)
Geert Bourgeois
(NVA)
Assita Kanko
(NVA)
Cindy Franssen
(CD&V)
Filip De Man
(VB)
Johan Van Overtveldt
(NVA)
Tom Vandendriessche
(VB)
Petra De Sutter
(Groen)
2024 Wouter Beke
(CD&V)
Kris Van Dijck
(NVA)
Rudi Kennes
(PTB)
Liesbet Sommen
(CD&V)
Barbara Bonte
(VB)
Sara Matthieu
(Groen)
Bruno Tobback
(Vooruit)
13 seats

Election results

2024

PartyEU partyEP groupVotes %ChangeSeatsChange
  Flemish Interest ID PfE 1,034,11222.94−3.863-
  New-Flemish Alliance EFA ECR 995,86822.09−0.353-
  Christian Democratic and Flemish EPP EPP 594,96813.20−2.332-
  Vooruit PES S&D 570,06712.64+2.432+1
  Groen EGP G-EFA 450,78110.00−2.371-
  Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats ALDE RE 410,7439.11−6.841-1
  Workers' Party of Belgium ELA Left 366,2858.12+3.171+1
 For You NI NI 47,2431.05new0new
  Volt Belgium NI NI 38,7130.86+0.830-

2019

PartyEU partyEP groupVotes %ChangeSeatsChange
  New-Flemish Alliance EFA ECR 954,04822.44−4.233-1
  Flemish Interest ID Party ID 811,16919.08+12.323+2
  Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats ALDE Renew 678,05115.95−4.452-1
  Christian Democratic and Flemish EPP EPP 617,65114.53−5.4320
  Green EGP Greens/EFA 525,90812.37+1.7510
  Socialist Party Different PES S&D 434,00210.21−2.9710
  Workers' Party of Belgium None GUE/NGL 210,3914.95+2.5500
  Volt Belgium Volt Europa None20,3850.48+0.4800
Total4,251,605100120

2014

PartyEU partyEP groupVotes %ChangeSeatsChange
  New-Flemish Alliance EFA ECR 1,123,36326.67+16.794+3
  Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats ALDE ALDE 859,25420.40−0.230
  Christian Democratic and Flemish EPP EPP 840,81419.96−3.342−1
  Socialist Party Different PES S&D 555,35413.18−0.051−1
  Flemish Interest EAF None284,8916.76−9.141−1
  Green EGP Greens/EFA 447,44910.62+2.7210
  Workers' Party of Belgium NoneNone101,2462.40+1.4200
Total4,212,37110012−1

2009

PartyAffiliationVotes %ChangeSeatsChange
  Christian Democratic and Flemish EPP 948,12323.26−4.8930
  Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats ELDR 837,88420.56−1.3530
  Flemish Interest None647,17015.88−7.282−1
  Socialist Party Different PES 539,39313.23−4.602−1
  New-Flemish Alliance EFA/ EPP-ED group (previous term)402,5459.88+9.8810
  Green! EGP 322,1497.90−0.0810
  List Dedecker None, (joined ECR)296,6997.28N/A1N/A
  Workers' Party of Belgium+None40,0570.98+0.3700
  Social Liberal Party EFA 26,5410.65N/A0N/A
 Others15,3830.380
Total4,075,94410013−1

2004

PartyAffiliationVotes %ChangeSeatsChange
  Christian Democratic and Flemish/New Flemish Alliance 1,131,11928.15+6.474+1
  Vlaams Blok 930,73123.16+8.073+1
  Flemish Liberals and Democrats 880,27921.91−1.730
  Social Progressive Alternative-Spirit 716,31717.83+3.623+1
  Groen! 320,8747.99−3.991−1
  Workers' Party of Belgium 24,8070.620.0500
  Left Socialist Party 14,1660.35N/A0N/A
Total4,018,293100140

1999

PartyAffiliationVotes %ChangeSeatsChange
  Flemish Liberals and Democrats 847,09921.88%+3.52%30
  Christian People's Party 839,72021.68%−5.75%3−1
  Vlaams Blok 584,39215.09%+2.53%20
  Socialist Party 550,23714.21%−3.42%2−1
  People's Union-ID 471,23812.17%+5.08%2+1
  Agalev-Groen 464,04211.98%+1.25%2+1
  Vivant 67,1071.73%N/A0N/A
 Others48,5891.25%00
Total3,872,424100140

1994

PartyAffiliationVotes %ChangeSeatsChange
  Christian People's Party 1,013,26627.43%−6.65%4−1
  Flemish Liberals and Democrats 678,42118.36%+1.26%3+1
  Socialist Party 651,37117.63%−2.41%30
  Vlaams Blok 463,91912.56%+5.97%2+1
  Agalev 396,19810.73%−1.47%10
  People's Union 262,0437.09%−1.61%1+1
 WOW127,5043.45%N/A0N/A
 Others101,4272.75%00
Total10014+1

1989

PartyAffiliationVotes %ChangeSeatsChange
  Christian People's Party 1,247,07534.08%+1.55%5+1
  Socialist Party 733,24220.04%−8.09%3−1
  Party for Freedom and Progress 625,56117.10%+2.91%20
  Agalev-Groen 446,53912.20%+5.12%10
  People's Union-EVA 318,1538.70%−5.21%1−1
  Vlaams Blok 241,1176.59%+4.49%1+1
 Others47,2191.29%00
Total100130

1984

PartyAffiliationVotes %ChangeSeatsChange
  Christian People's Party 1,132,68232.53%−15.56%4−3
  Socialist Party 979,70228.13%+7.23%4+1
  Party for Freedom and Progress 494,27714.19%−1.13%20
  People's Union 484,49413.91%+4.20%2+1
  Agalev 246,7127.08%+4.75%1+1
  Vlaams Blok 73,1742.10%N/A0N/A
 Others71,2392.05%00
Total100130

1979

PartyAffiliationVotes %ChangeSeatsChange
  Christian People's Party 1,607,94148.09%N/A7N/A
  Belgian Socialist Party 698,88920.90%N/A3N/A
  Party for Freedom and Progress 512,36315.32%N/A2N/A
  People's Union 324,5409.71%N/A1N/A
  Agalev 77,9862.33%N/A0N/A
 Others121,7833.64%N/A0N/A
Total100N/A13N/A

Returned members

Below are all members since the creation of the Dutch-speaking electoral college. Only members who were sworn in at the beginning of each parliamentary turn are mentioned. Under Belgian law, MEPs can resign and be automatically replaced. This was the case, for example, for Johan Van Overtveldt, who resigned to become Minister of Finance on 14 October 2014 and was replaced by Sander Loones.

MEPs for Belgium's Dutch-speaking electoral college, 1979 onwards
Election 1979 (1st parliament) 1984 (2nd parliament) 1989 (3rd parliament) 1994 (4th parliament) 1999 (5th parliament) 2004 (6th parliament) 2009 (7th parliament) 2014 (8th parliament) 2019 (9th parliament)
MEP
Party
Willy Vernimmen
SP
Seat not established Anne Van Lancker
SP
Seat abolished
MEP
Party
Karel Van Miert
SP
Marc Galle
SP
Philippe De Coene
SP
Peter Bossu
SP
Saïd El Khadraoui
sp.a/Spirit
Seat abolished
MEP
Party
Marcel Colla
SP
Marijke Van Hemeldonck
SP
Freddy Willockx
SP
Luckas Vander Taelen
Agalev
Mia De Vits
sp.a/Spirit
Kathleen Van Brempt
sp.a
MEP
Party
Willy De Clercq
PVV
Jef Ulburghs
SP
Paul Staes
Agalev
Magda Aelvoet
Agalev
Patsy Sörensen
Agalev
Bart Staes
Groen
Petra De Sutter
Groen
MEP
Party
Herman Vanderpoorten
PVV
Paul Staes
Agalev
Willy De Clercq
VLD
Karel De Gucht
VLD/Vivant
Guy Verhofstadt
Open Vld
MEP
Party
Paul De Keersmaeker
CVP
Karel De Gucht
VLD
Annemie Neyts
VLD
Ward Beysen
VLD
Annemie Neyts
VLD/Vivant
Hilde Vautmans
Open Vld
MEP
Party
Jaak Henckens
CVP
August de Winter
VLD
An Hermans
CVP
Mimi Kestelijn-Sierens
VLD
Dirk Sterckx
VLD/Vivant
Philippe De Backer
Open Vld
Karel De Gucht
Open Vld
Kris Peeters
CD&V
MEP
Party
Joris Verhaegen
CVP
Raphaël Chanterie
CVP
Miet Smet
CVP
Ivo Belet
CD&V/N-VA
Cindy Franssen
CD&V
MEP
Party
Lambert Croux
CVP
Marianne Thyssen
CVP
Geert Bourgeois
N-VA
MEP
Party
Marcel Vandewiele
CVP
Rika De Backer
CVP
Karel Pinxten
CVP
Wilfried Martens
CVP
Johan Van Hecke
CVP
Jean-Luc Dehaene
CD&V/N-VA
Johan Van Overtveldt
N-VA
MEP
Party
Leo Tindemans
CVP
Pol Marck
CVP
Leo Tindemans
CVP
Nelly Maes
VU
Frieda Brepoels
CD&V/N-VA
Mark Demesmaeker
N-VA
Assita Kanko
N-VA
MEP
Party
Joannes Verroken
CVP
Jaak Vandemeulebroucke
VU
Bart Staes
VU
Koen Dillen
VB
Derk-Jan Eppink
LDD
Louis Ide
N-VA
Filip De Man
VB
MEP
Party
Maurits Coppieters
VU
Willy Kuijpers
VU
Karel Dillen
VB
Philip Claeys
VB
Helga Stevens
N-VA
Patsy Vatlet
VB
MEP
Party
Seat not established Frank Vanhecke
VB
Gerolf Annemans
VB

References

    1. "A new "Black Sunday"". internationalviewpoint.org. 1 October 2004. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021.
    2. Perrineau, P.; Grunberg, G.; Ysmal, C. (30 April 2016). Europe at the Polls: The European Elections of 1999. Springer. ISBN   9781137044419 via Google Books.