Early regional elections
Near impossibleMechanism
The federal Chamber of Representatives votes by a two-thirds majority to dissolve the Brussels Parliament and organise new regional elections. The King then sets the date of the ballot.
Who can trigger this
The Chamber of Representatives (federal Parliament) — two-thirds majority required
Timeline
Several years
Legal basis
Article 117 of the Belgian Constitution — regional parliaments have a fixed 5-year term. Article 46 (dissolution) applies only to the federal Parliament. Only a two-thirds majority in the federal Chamber could trigger early regional elections.
Risks
- The Brussels Parliament cannot dissolve itself — it has a fixed 5-year term
- Requires a two-thirds majority in the federal Chamber — a nearly impossible threshold to reach
- New elections would probably produce similar results without resolving the deadlock
- No precedent in Belgian history for the dissolution of a regional parliament
- Federal interference in regional affairs — perceived as an infringement on autonomy
Why this option is being discussed
Faced with the political deadlock in Brussels (600+ days without a government), some observers raise the possibility of new regional elections. The idea: if the current parties cannot reach an agreement, put the question to the voters.
The constitutional obstacle
The Brussels Parliament cannot be dissolved. This is a fundamental constitutional rule.
What the Constitution says
- Article 117: members of community and regional parliaments are elected for a 5-year term, coinciding with European elections
- Article 46 (dissolution): applies only to the federal Chamber, not to regional parliaments
- The Special Act of 12 January 1989 on Brussels institutions confirms this rule
The only theoretical path
The Chamber of Representatives (federal Parliament) could, in theory, vote to dissolve the Brussels Parliament. However, this measure would require a two-thirds majority — a threshold never reached for this type of decision in Belgian history.
No precedent
No Belgian regional parliament has ever been dissolved early:
- Flanders: never dissolved
- Wallonia: never dissolved
- Brussels: never dissolved
- Federal level: dissolution in 2010 (via a declaration of constitutional revision — a mechanism inapplicable to the Regions)
Why new elections would probably solve nothing
The Brussels deadlock is not an electoral accident — it is a structural problem:
- Dual linguistic majority: any Brussels government must obtain a majority in the francophone group (72 seats) AND in the Dutch-speaking group (17 seats)
- Fragmentation: the June 2024 results (MR 20, PS 16, PTB 15, Les Engages 8) reflect deep ideological divides
- Cross-vetoes: the PS refuses any coalition including the N-VA; Flemish parties consider the N-VA indispensable
- New elections would in all likelihood reproduce the same balance of power
What alternatives exist
Constitutional experts who have studied the Brussels deadlock have identified other avenues:
- Citizens' assembly (Irish model 2012-2016) to unblock negotiations
- Technocratic government or government of experts
- Federal intervention (Article 45 of the Special Act — the Council of Ministers can suspend Brussels ordinances by royal decree), but this would mean an unprecedented loss of regional autonomy
In summary
New elections are an instinctive solution but constitutionally near-impossible and politically ineffective. The Brussels problem is not "who was elected" but "how to form a majority in a system with a dual linguistic majority and deep ideological divides".
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