Info
Parties and Candidates
PC001
Registration requirements for parties (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the registration requirements for political parties running for national elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
a . Signature requirement (specify requirement)
Comments: Signatures of 3 former members of the Parliament or signatures of a number of voters which varies according to the population of the constituency:
- less than 500,000 inhabitants = 200 signatures
- 500,000 to 1,000,000 inhabitants = 400 signatures
- more than 1,000,000 inhabitants = 500 signatures
Source: The Belgian Electoral Code, Art. 116
http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/europe/BE/belgium-electoral-code-2014/view
Verified: 2019/04/25
PC003
Registration requirements for candidates (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the legal qualifications to become a candidate at legislative elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
a . Age b . Citizenship d . Residence j . Other
Comments: Article 64
To be eligible, one must:
1° be Belgian;
2° enjoy civil and political rights;
3° have reached the age of eighteen;
4° be resident in Belgium.
No other condition of eligibility can be required.
Source: The Belgian Constitution, Article 64
http://www.dekamer.be/kvvcr/pdf_sections/publications/constitution/GrondwetUK.pdf
Verified: 2019/04/25
PC008
Independent candidates
Question: Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
Answer(s):
c . In legislative elections (Chamber 1) d . In legislative elections (Chamber 2)
Comments: Art. 116. § 1. For the election to the Chamber of Representatives the presentation shall be
signed either by 500 voters at least if the population of the electoral constituency at the last census
was superior to one million inhabitants, by 400 voters at least if the population added up to between
500.000 and one million inhabitants and by 200 voters at least in all the other situations, or at least by
three resigning members.
Source: The Belgian Electoral Code, Article 116
http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/europe/BE/belgium-electoral-code-2014/view
Verified: 2019/04/25
PC012
Public funding of parties
Question: Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Direct c . Indirect
Comments: b) Political parties represented in Parliament receive direct funding
Article 116 (6)
§ 6. In the document of acceptance of their candidature, the incumbent candidates and the
substitute candidates commit to:
1° respect the legal dispositions on the limitation and control of the electoral expenditure
2° to hand in against a receipt within 45 days after the election day, the declarations of their electoral expenditure and the origin of the used funds to the chairman of the central electoral committee of the constituency;
3° To keep all the bills and receipts of the electoral expenditure and the origins of the used funds
for two years after the election day.
If their declaration on the origins of the funds includes donations, they have to record the identity of the natural persons having made a donation of 125 euros or more to finance the electoral expenditure. They guarantee the confidentiality of that identity and communicate it within 45 days after the elections to the Control Commission that is taking care of this obligation accordingly to article 16.
The document of acceptance of their candidature, the declarations on the electoral expenditure and the origins of the funds and the receipt are written on forms designated for this purpose, defined by the Interior Minister and published in useful time in the « Moniteur belge » (Belgian gazette). The forms containing the declaration of the electoral expenditure and the origins of funds as well as the application form mention end in sentence 2 are provided no later than on the delivery of the official document of acceptance.
These forms are signed, dated and handed over to the applicant against receipt.
After the consultation of a decree in the Council of Ministers, the King determines the modalities of the deposit of the declarations on the election expenditures and the origin of the used funds as well as on their inventory and their safekeeping.
Source: The Belgian Electoral Code, Article 116 (6)
http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/europe/BE/belgium-electoral-code-2014/view
Law of 4 July 1989 on the limitation and control of election expenses for the election of the Federal Assembly, and the funding and open accounting of political parties
Verified: 2019/04/25
PC015
Question: What is the basis of the public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Based on result of previous election
Comments:
Source: Law of 4 July 1989 on the limitation and control of election expenses for the election of the Federal Assembly, and the funding and open accounting of political parties, Art. 15 - 21
Verified: 2019/04/25
PC017
Question: Are political parties entitled to private funding?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments:
Source: Law of 4 July 1989 on the limitation and control of election expenses for the election of the Federal Assembly, and the funding and open accounting of political parties, Art. 16 - 21
Verified: 2019/04/25
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