From Bruges to Beringen you hear the same tales about virtually empty polling stations and low turnout figures. It even prompted Flemish minister Hilde Crevits (Christian democrat/CD&V) to launch an appeal for people to go out and vote. The abolition of compulsory attendance at polling stations seems to be causing a bigger shockwave than expected.
Low turnout at polling stations after mandatory attendance is abolished in Flanders
Colin Clapson
Published:
The pictures in the lunchtime TV News spoke volumes: at a polling station in Aarschot (Flemish Brabant), station president Stijn had only counted some 400 voters, out of the 750 he expected. ‘So that's a turnout of just over 50 per cent in this district. Earlier I counted on 80 per cent. This is bizarre.’
‘It is much quieter than other years,’ agreed Antwerp mayor Bart De Wever (Flemish nationalist/N-VA) this morning. ‘I’m getting the same signals via WhatsApp messages.’ On social media, several people posted pictures of empty polling stations.
Meanwhile, the first real figures have come in. According to mayor Theo Francken (Flemish nationalist/N-VA), 53 per cent of voters in Lubbeek had attended the polling station by 1 pm. In Bredene (West Flanders), the figure was around 65 per cent. This is also the trend in Nijlen (Antwerp Province): after counts at some districts were complete, the provisional turnout was around 62 per cent.
VRT political editor Ivan De Vadder hears similar reports from Mechelen (Antwerp), Aalst (East Flanders), Bruges (West Flanders), Beringen (Limburg), and Schepdaal (Flemish Brabant). At the same time, in Harelbeke (West Flanders) and Zottegem and De Pinte (East Flanders), slightly higher figures of around 70 to 75 per cent were reported. Beforehand experts predicted that the turnout figure would be between 70 and 80 per cent.
‘It looks like it will be a very mixed picture, but there are very low turnout figures in several places. If that trend continues, that will be the big news from this election,’ says political journalist Ivan De Vadder.
Who wins or loses in the event of low turnout?
‘Especially young people are not showing up as well as older voters,’ notes political scientist Carl Devos (UGent). ‘The question is: does that have an impact on the distribution of votes? Perhaps it does. But who wins and who loses in the process? That is what will make today exciting.’
The low turnout figures are obviously linked to the abolition of compulsory attendance at polling places in these municipal elections in Flanders. ‘The Flemish government has promised to evaluate the reform,’ says Ivan De Vadder.
Electronic voting is still underway until 3pm. But if these figures are confirmed, we will be stuck with a very low turnout figure.’
‘Let your voice be heard’
Flemish home minister Hilde Crevits (Christian democrat/CD&V) is also concerned about the turnout figures. It even led her to make an appeal. ‘Please go and vote. It's for the level closest to the people, the local level. It is no longer compulsory, but it is a right. Let your voice be heard in your municipality and province'.
Bart Somers (liberal/Open VLD), who as Flemish home minister was the driving force behind the abolition of compulsory attendance, is also still backing that decision. ‘If you look at our neighbouring countries, we were about the only country in the European Union where there was still compulsory voting and that is not the right way to get people to participate in democracy. Now we have to convince people to go and vote. The stakes at the election have to be clear. I do think we succeeded in that.’