Foreign voter registration low in Belgium

29 Jul, 2012

All foreigners living in Belgium have until 31 July to register for local elections on 14 October.

Foreigners – whether from the EU or elsewhere – qualify to vote in the local elections in October if they have been living legally in the country for at least five years.

So far only 15 per cent of EU foreign residents and 8 per cent of non-EU residents have registered.

According to this trend fewer foreigners will be voting this year than in the 2006 local elections, when 20.9 per cent of EU foreigners registered and 15.1 per cent of non-EU residents.