Belgium: Political Developments and Data in 2023

Abstract In the final full year ahead of the 2024 general elections, tensions within the Belgian federal government were as intense as they were since its inception. If the De Croo I large coalition had been able to present a united front in the face of the need to respond to the pandemic and the energy crisis in its first years, its fragile character emerged in 2023, but yet without breaking. No large reform was implemented as if the coalition parties were already more preoccupied with positioning themselves for the 2024 elections than achieving a pension, tax or institutional reform. After years of relative stability in terms of party leaders, several Belgian political parties held leadership elections in 2023 or decided to postpone them until after the general elections.