Dummy's guide to Tervuren elections on Sunday 13 October
Dummy's guide to Tervuren elections on Sunday 13 October
Here’s a quick refresher on the voting process In Tervuren. You start by selecting one of four parties or joint lists. Then you can cast preference votes for individual candidates, choosing all 27, a single candidate, or checking a few names. Alternatively, you can simply select the entire list without giving preference votes. Preference votes allow you to favour those candidates you most feel represented by — future councilors you could talk to with your local problems.
The four parties or lists in this election are:
Tervuren Unie + Volt (list number 11)
N-VA (list number 5)
Groen + Vooruit (list number 7)
Voor Tervuren (list number 12)
Elections will be held at Administratief Centrum Tervuren, Sporthal de Steenberg Moorsel, Gemeentelijke basisschool Vossem and Pachthof Stroykens Duisburg on Sunday 13 October from 08:00 to 15:00.
Important Notice: 13,630 Belgian citizens may automatically vote on Sunday 13 October. Unlike Belgians, non-registered foreigners may only vote if registered. Only 675 foreign residents in Tervuren have been registered, out of 3,603 eligible non-Belgian voters.
Warning: the only official and valid information is given in Dutch on the communal website and your voting papers
For a detailed non-official guide in other languages on voting in Tervuren, use our dummy’s guide.
Registered to vote but didn't get the ballot paper? No problem. They're downloadable via Itsme in the Tervuren app that works for both Apple and Android. Or via https://www.burgerprofiel.be/verkiezingen.
Tervuren Unie+Volt
Tervuren Unie+Volt
Candidates: Tracey D'Afters (Volt) and Serge Liesenborghs (Tervuren Unie)
Politics: Volt: Centre-left. Tervuren Unie: centre-right to centre-left.
European Parliament group: For Volt Europa Greens/EFA. Tervuren Unie is a local bilingual list.
European party: Volt Europa in over 30 countries
Town council seats in 2018: Tervuren Unie has 4 council seats. As a new party, Volt currently has no seats.
Website: Volt: https://voltbelgium.org/tervuren (English) and Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish. Tervuren Unie: https://www.tervuren-unie.be (Dutch, French and English).
French-speaking equivalent: For Volt: none. For Tervuren Unie: MR, Defi, Engagés & PS.
About: Launched only in May 2024, Volt Tervuren is the local branch of European movement Volt Europa that now has over 27,000 members. Aside from Ten Focal Points for Tervuren and a joint program with Tervuren Unie, a key point is finally ensuring diversity in representation. The council currently does not include a single councilor from the town's 44% non-Belgians.
Think European, act locally
Main Tervuren campaigning points:
Enabling more females and the first ever non-Belgians to become town councillors. Mayors should not have two jobs but dedicate 100% of their working time to the job.
Inclusion, quality of life, access to quality childcare, additional educational support, affordable elderly care and more easily accessible Dutch classes.
Sustainable development, smart and inclusive mobility, environmental stewardship.
NV-A Tervuren
NV-A Tervuren
Top candidates: Marc Charlier and Lut Kint
Politics: Right, Flemish nationalist
European Parliament group: European Conservatives (ECR)
French-speaking equivalent: None
Council seats in 2018: 9 out of 27
Website: https://tervuren.n-va.be (Dutch only)
About: Currently in coalition with the Flemish Catholics and Flemish Greens, the Flemish national alliance NV-A Tervuren's top candidate is Marc Charlier, mayor of Tervuren since inheriting the job from Jan Spooren, now governor of Vlaams-Brabant. And the party's second candidate is Lut Kint, alderwoman for social policy. The NV-A seeks to maintain Tervuren's Flemish and Dutch-speaking character via strict application of language laws for administration, cultural and sports activities.
For Flemish prosperity
Main Tervuren campaigning points:
Strong Flemish policy, integrating foreigners and newcomers. Dutch is the unifying element.
Prevention and enforcement to protect people and property, at home and in traffic.
Keep debts manageable and taxes low.
Voor Tervuren
Voor Tervuren
Top candidates: Thomas Geyns (Flemish liberal) and Kristina Eyskens (Flemish Catholic)
Politics: Centre-right
European Parliament group: Renew and EPP
French-speaking equivalent: Mouvement Réformateur (MR) and Les Engagés (Christian Democrats)
Council seats: 8 out of 27 (combined)
Website: https://voortervuren.be (Dutch only)
About: Under Belgium's Imperiali voting allocation system, the joint Flemish liberal and Catholic alliance should get a higher number of seats even with the same percentage of votes as in 2018. That would give top candidate Thomas Geyns the first chance to form a majority coalition. But if second candidate, Flemish Catholic Kristina Eyskens, wins more preference votes, she would get a chance at forming a mayor's coalition. Eyskens, daughter of a former prime minister, should also eventually take up a position as a member of Belgium's federal parliament.
For innovation. For Connection.
Main Tervuren campaigning points:
Voor Tervuren wants more business freedom, less regulation and support for Tervuren firms.
Voor Tervuren wants more input and participation.
Voor Tervuren wants more investment. The number of town hall financed projects must increase.
Groen+Vooruit
Groen+Vooruit
Top candidates: Bram Peters, Carine Borghans
Politics: Green, centre-left
European Parliament group: Greens and Socialists (S&D)
French-speaking equivalent: Ecolo and Parti socialiste
Council seats in 2018: 6 out of 27
Website: https://www.groentervuren.be (Dutch only)
About: In coalition since 2012 with the Flemish nationalist NV-A, Groen+Vooruit is seeking to maintain its position with at least the same number of aldermen (2) and councillors (6). Top candidate Bram Peters is currently mobility and environment alderman. He also ran for election to the Flemish parliament.
Fair climate policy that includes everyone
Main Tervuren campaigning points:
Feeling good around you: that's the measure of happiness.
A green neighborhood on a healthy planet benefits everyone.
A neighborhood where everyone is welcome and has equal opportunities.