Belgian mayors
Research by Brian Baker, Fellow, City Mayors Research




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Belgian government
October 2020: Belgium has two types of federal entities: Territorial regions and linguistic communities.

• The Flemish-speaking community comprises all the inhibitants of Flanders and Flemish-speakers of Brussels.
• The French-speaking community comprises all the inhibitants of Wallonia and Brussels' French speakers.
• The German-speaking community the inhabitants of nine German-speaking municipalities in eastern Belgium.

Each linguistic community has its own parliament and government. They decide on culture, education, language, health care etc.

Belgium is also devided into three territorial regions.
• The Flemish region is made up of five Flemish provinces in the north of the country.
• The Walloon region is made up of five Walloon provinces and the nine German-speaking municipalities.
• The capital region of Brussels includes the 19 municipalities of Brussels.

Each territorial region has its own parliament and government. They decide on housing, economy, transport, public works, the environment, spatial planning, energy, land use etc.

In addition the regions and communities, Belgium is divided into 10 provinces and 589 municipalities. The provincial governments are primarily administrative units and are politically weak. A governor appointed by the King presides over each province. Each governor is supported by an elected Provincial Council of 47 to 84 members (depending on the size of the province), which sits only four weeks a year.

Municipal governments, on the other hand, are vigorous political entities with significant powers and a history of independence dating from medieval times. Many national politicians originate from municipal political bases; and many often double as mayor or alderman in their hometowns in addition to their federal and regional political positions. The last nationwide municipal elections were held in October 2018, the next elections are due in 2024.


Mayors of Belgium's largest cities