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.
Boundaries The constituency generally corresponds to the Flemish Community of Belgium, and is sometimes called the Flemish-speaking electoral college. 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)ElectionMember of the European Parliament(Party)1979Lambert 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 seats1984Raphaël 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 seats1989Marianne 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 seats1994Wilfried 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 seats1998Nelly Maes(VU)1999Miet 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)2000Kathleen Van Brempt(SP)2002Jan Dhaene(Agalev)2003Koenraad Dillen(VB)Frank Vanhecke(VB)Saïd El Khadraoui(SP)2004Jean-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)2009Guy Verhofstadt(Open VLD)Derk Jan Eppink(LDD)Kathleen Van Brempt(SP.A/Vooruit)13 seats2011Philippe De Backer(Open VLD)2013Mark Demesmaeker(NVA)20142014Helga Stevens(NVA)Louis Ide(NVA)Johan Van Overtveldt(NVA)Gerolf Annemans(VB)12 seats2014Tom Vandenkendelaere(CD&V)Sander Loones(NVA)2015Anneleen Van Bossuyt(NVA)2016Lieve Wierinck(Open VLD)Hilde Vautmans(Open VLD)2018Ralph Packet(NVA)2019Kris 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)2024Wouter 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
Party EU party EP group Votes % Change Seats Change Flemish Interest ID PfE 1,034,112 22.94 −3.86 3 - New-Flemish Alliance EFA ECR 995,868 22.09 −0.35 3 - Christian Democratic and Flemish EPP EPP 594,968 13.20 −2.33 2 - Vooruit PES S&D 570,067 12.64 +2.43 2 +1 Groen EGP G-EFA 450,781 10.00 −2.37 1 - Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats ALDE RE 410,743 9.11 −6.84 1 -1 Workers' Party of Belgium ELA Left 366,285 8.12 +3.17 1 +1 For You NI NI 47,243 1.05 new 0 new Volt Belgium NI NI 38,713 0.86 +0.83 0 -
2019
Party EU party EP group Votes % Change Seats Change New-Flemish Alliance EFA ECR 954,048 22.44 −4.23 3 -1 Flemish Interest ID Party ID 811,169 19.08 +12.32 3 +2 Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats ALDE Renew 678,051 15.95 −4.45 2 -1 Christian Democratic and Flemish EPP EPP 617,651 14.53 −5.43 2 0 Green EGP Greens/EFA 525,908 12.37 +1.75 1 0 Socialist Party Different PES S&D 434,002 10.21 −2.97 1 0 Workers' Party of Belgium None GUE/NGL 210,391 4.95 +2.55 0 0 Volt Belgium Volt Europa None 20,385 0.48 +0.48 0 0 Total 4,251,605 100 12 0
2014
Party EU party EP group Votes % Change Seats Change New-Flemish Alliance EFA ECR 1,123,363 26.67 +16.79 4 +3 Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats ALDE ALDE 859,254 20.40 −0.2 3 0 Christian Democratic and Flemish EPP EPP 840,814 19.96 −3.34 2 −1 Socialist Party Different PES S&D 555,354 13.18 −0.05 1 −1 Flemish Interest EAF None 284,891 6.76 −9.14 1 −1 Green EGP Greens/EFA 447,449 10.62 +2.72 1 0 Workers' Party of Belgium None None 101,246 2.40 +1.42 0 0 Total 4,212,371 100 12 −1
2009
Party Affiliation Votes % Change Seats Change Christian Democratic and Flemish EPP 948,123 23.26 −4.89 3 0 Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats ELDR 837,884 20.56 −1.35 3 0 Flemish Interest None 647,170 15.88 −7.28 2 −1 Socialist Party Different PES 539,393 13.23 −4.60 2 −1 New-Flemish Alliance EFA/EPP-ED group (previous term) 402,545 9.88 +9.88 1 0 Green! EGP 322,149 7.90 −0.08 1 0 List Dedecker None, (joined ECR) 296,699 7.28 N/A 1 N/A Workers' Party of Belgium+ None 40,057 0.98 +0.37 0 0 Social Liberal Party EFA 26,541 0.65 N/A 0 N/A Others 15,383 0.38 0 Total 4,075,944 100 13 −1
2004
Party Affiliation Votes % Change Seats Change Christian Democratic and Flemish/New Flemish Alliance 1,131,119 28.15 +6.47 4 +1 Vlaams Blok 930,731 23.16 +8.07 3 +1 Flemish Liberals and Democrats 880,279 21.91 −1.7 3 0 Social Progressive Alternative-Spirit 716,317 17.83 +3.62 3 +1 Groen! 320,874 7.99 −3.99 1 −1 Workers' Party of Belgium 24,807 0.62 0.05 0 0 Left Socialist Party 14,166 0.35 N/A 0 N/A Total 4,018,293 100 14 0
1999
Party Affiliation Votes % Change Seats Change Flemish Liberals and Democrats 847,099 21.88% +3.52% 3 0 Christian People's Party 839,720 21.68% −5.75% 3 −1 Vlaams Blok 584,392 15.09% +2.53% 2 0 Socialist Party 550,237 14.21% −3.42% 2 −1 People's Union-ID 471,238 12.17% +5.08% 2 +1 Agalev-Groen 464,042 11.98% +1.25% 2 +1 Vivant 67,107 1.73% N/A 0 N/A Others 48,589 1.25% 0 0 Total 3,872,424 100 14 0
1994
Party Affiliation Votes % Change Seats Change Christian People's Party 1,013,266 27.43% −6.65% 4 −1 Flemish Liberals and Democrats 678,421 18.36% +1.26% 3 +1 Socialist Party 651,371 17.63% −2.41% 3 0 Vlaams Blok 463,919 12.56% +5.97% 2 +1 Agalev 396,198 10.73% −1.47% 1 0 People's Union 262,043 7.09% −1.61% 1 +1 WOW 127,504 3.45% N/A 0 N/A Others 101,427 2.75% 0 0 Total 100 14 +1
1989
Party Affiliation Votes % Change Seats Change Christian People's Party 1,247,075 34.08% +1.55% 5 +1 Socialist Party 733,242 20.04% −8.09% 3 −1 Party for Freedom and Progress 625,561 17.10% +2.91% 2 0 Agalev-Groen 446,539 12.20% +5.12% 1 0 People's Union-EVA 318,153 8.70% −5.21% 1 −1 Vlaams Blok 241,117 6.59% +4.49% 1 +1 Others 47,219 1.29% 0 0 Total 100 13 0
1984
Party Affiliation Votes % Change Seats Change Christian People's Party 1,132,682 32.53% −15.56% 4 −3 Socialist Party 979,702 28.13% +7.23% 4 +1 Party for Freedom and Progress 494,277 14.19% −1.13% 2 0 People's Union 484,494 13.91% +4.20% 2 +1 Agalev 246,712 7.08% +4.75% 1 +1 Vlaams Blok 73,174 2.10% N/A 0 N/A Others 71,239 2.05% 0 0 Total 100 13 0
1979
Party Affiliation Votes % Change Seats Change Christian People's Party 1,607,941 48.09% N/A 7 N/A Belgian Socialist Party 698,889 20.90% N/A 3 N/A Party for Freedom and Progress 512,363 15.32% N/A 2 N/A People's Union 324,540 9.71% N/A 1 N/A Agalev 77,986 2.33% N/A 0 N/A Others 121,783 3.64% N/A 0 N/A Total 100 N/A 13 N/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 MEPParty Willy VernimmenSP Seat not established Anne Van LanckerSP Seat abolished MEPParty Karel Van MiertSP Marc GalleSP Philippe De CoeneSP Peter BossuSP Saïd El Khadraouisp.a/Spirit Seat abolished MEPParty Marcel CollaSP Marijke Van HemeldonckSP Freddy WillockxSP Luckas Vander TaelenAgalev Mia De Vitssp.a/Spirit Kathleen Van Bremptsp.a MEPParty Willy De ClercqPVV Jef UlburghsSP Paul StaesAgalev Magda AelvoetAgalev Patsy SörensenAgalev Bart StaesGroen Petra De SutterGroen MEPParty Herman VanderpoortenPVV Paul StaesAgalev Willy De ClercqVLD Karel De GuchtVLD/Vivant Guy VerhofstadtOpen Vld MEPParty Paul De KeersmaekerCVP Karel De GuchtVLD Annemie NeytsVLD Ward BeysenVLD Annemie NeytsVLD/Vivant Hilde VautmansOpen Vld MEPParty Jaak HenckensCVP August de WinterVLD An HermansCVP Mimi Kestelijn-SierensVLD Dirk SterckxVLD/Vivant Philippe De BackerOpen Vld Karel De GuchtOpen Vld Kris PeetersCD&V MEPParty Joris VerhaegenCVP Raphaël ChanterieCVP Miet SmetCVP Ivo BeletCD&V/N-VA Cindy FranssenCD&V MEPParty Lambert CrouxCVP Marianne ThyssenCVP Geert BourgeoisN-VA MEPParty Marcel VandewieleCVP Rika De BackerCVP Karel PinxtenCVP Wilfried MartensCVP Johan Van HeckeCVP Jean-Luc DehaeneCD&V/N-VA Johan Van OvertveldtN-VA MEPParty Leo TindemansCVP Pol MarckCVP Leo TindemansCVP Nelly MaesVU Frieda BrepoelsCD&V/N-VA Mark DemesmaekerN-VA Assita KankoN-VA MEPParty Joannes VerrokenCVP Jaak VandemeulebrouckeVU Bart StaesVU Koen DillenVB Derk-Jan EppinkLDD Louis IdeN-VA Filip De ManVB MEPParty Maurits CoppietersVU Willy KuijpersVU Karel DillenVB Philip ClaeysVB Helga StevensN-VA Patsy VatletVB MEPParty Seat not established Frank VanheckeVB Gerolf AnnemansVB
References