During a plenary session on Thursday, the Flemish Parliament decided which 29 MPs will also serve as senators in the Belgian senate. The Belgian Senate is a reflective chambre that is largely made up of MPs from the regional and language community parliaments.
The Senate has 60 members, 49 of whom also serve as MPs in regional and language community parliaments. The remaining 11 are “coopted” (appointed) by their elected colleagues. The 29 senators that also serve as MPs in the Flemish or Brussels Parliament (Dutch language roll) coopt 6 senators.
The 20 Francophone senators that were elected to either the Walloon or Brussels Parliament (French language roll) coopt 4 senators. The Parliament of the German Language Community coopts 1 senator.
The Flemish senators that are also MPs
· Flemish nationalist (N-VA) - Inge Brocken, Arnout Coel, Koen Dillen, Andries Gryffroy, Sander Loones, Andy Pieters, Nadia Sminate und Karl Vanlouwe.
· Far-right (Vlaams Belang) om Yves Buysse, Bob De Brabandere (Member of the Brussels Parliament), Johan Deckmyn, Ilse Malfroot, Klaas Slootmans, Anke Van dermeersch en Wim Verheyden;
· Socialist (Vooruit) - Nawal Maghroud, Burak Nalli, Kelly Van Tendeloo und Kris Verduyckt.
· Christian democrat (CD&V)- Benjamin Dalle (Member of the Brussels Parliamen), Stijn De Roo, Joke Schauvliege and Peter Van Rompuy.
· Liberal (Open VLD) - Stephanie D'Hose and Tom Ongena.
· Green (Groen) - Fourat Ben Chikha and Celia Groothedde (Member of the Brussels Parliament)
· Far-left (PVDA) - Debby Burssens und Raf Van Gestel.