Elections 2024: Les Engagés and MR confirm June gains, PS holds ground
Les Engagés and MR confirmed their electoral victories from June in Sunday’s municipal elections in French-speaking Belgium. Les Engagés saw gains of up to 10 percentage points in some areas, while MR also made local advances, although the liberals were unable to capture any major city other than Verviers.
Les Engagés, led by Maxime Prévot, came close to winning an outright majority in Namur, the capital of Wallonia. The party also saw successes in several other cities and mid-sized municipalities, including Fauvillers, Florenville, Lobbes and Clavier.
MR, meanwhile, built on its positive results from the June elections but struggled to break through in larger cities, where socialists PS managed to hold its ground. However, PS did lose its absolute majorities in Mons, Seraing and Herstal. The party now faces coalition negotiations there.
PS leader Paul Magnette said that “the blue wave crashed against a red wall”. MR leader Georges-Louis Bouchez countered, stating that “the blue wave is eroding even the strongest walls” and hinted at further breakthroughs during the coalition-building phase, which began immediately after the elections on Sunday night.
Green party Ecolo, which suffered heavy losses in June, continued to lose ground compared to its 2018 performance. The party lost key strongholds such as Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve and Amay. It also saw declines in Brussels municipalities, including Forest and Watermael-Boitsfort, although it managed to save Ixelles.
DéFI maintained its absolute majority in Auderghem, but the party’s overall decline continued, with significant losses even in its stronghold of Schaerbeek.
In Brussels, MR became the largest party in Anderlecht, but PS, led by mayor Philippe Close, retained control of the capital. The overall picture across the region remains fragmented.
MR leader Georges-Louis Bouchez © BELGA PHOTO VIRGINIE LEFOUR
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