The 2024 Belgian federal elections: a race to the right

The Belgian federal elections held on 9 June 2024 marked a turning point in the country’s political history. As the first post-pandemic federal vote, one of the lowest turnouts was recorded since compulsory voting was introduced in 1893. An unprecedented share of voters supported radical parties, reflecting increased polarisation and a notable shift to the right. In Flanders, N-VA outperformed expectations, while VB’s anticipated breakthrough fell short. In French-speaking Belgium, the MR surged, while PS and Ecolo suffered historic defeats. These shifts led to the collapse of the incumbent ‘Vivaldi’ coalition and a fragmented parliamentary outcome. Ultimately, a new ‘Arizona’ coalition was formed, led by Bart De Wever, who became the first Belgian Prime Minister with a declared commitment to Flemish independence. This report provides an overview of the election campaign, the results that followed, voters’ underlying motivations, and the broader implications for federal governance in an increasingly divided political landscape.