Three-quarters of Belgians will definitely vote on June 9, 2024, they say in the Grand Poll. But a quarter of the population wants to give a different signal to politicians. Our poll shows how they want to do that.
About the Grand Poll:
The Grand Poll of ‘Het Laatste Nieuws’, ‘VTM NEWS’, RTL and ‘Le Soir’ was conducted online by Ipsos between 29 May and 6 June among 2,600 Belgians aged 18 and older. It is about 1,000 Flemings, 1,000 Walloons and 600 Brussels residents. The maximum margin of error is 3.1 percent in Flanders, 3.1 percent in Wallonia and 4 percent in Brussels.
Sunday 9 June 2024 is circled in the agenda of politicians with a red bold marker. Because after five years, citizens can once again make their voice heard about who should end up in the regional, federal and European parliament. Three-quarters of Belgians (74%) say they will go to the polling station that Sunday to vote for their favorite party or politician. The Flemish are the most loyal voters (78%), while in Wallonia only 68% say they will definitely vote.
But a quarter of the Belgians have other plans that Sunday. One in ten Belgians say they go to the electoral office, but not to vote for a politician or party. They want to make their (protest) voice heard by voting blank. It is mainly the Walloons (11%) who want to send a signal to politicians in this way. Just under 10% are still in doubt whether they want to vote, although this is mandatory in Belgium.
It is striking that there is also a clear generational difference. Among the over-55s, 81% would definitely vote, while only two-thirds of 18-34 year-olds say they will. The blank voters are also mainly among the youngest generation (15%). This shows that the disinterest in politics among this group is still very large.
Already ‘fort’
Voting is compulsory in Belgium for regional, federal and European elections. Yet already 6% of Belgians say that they will definitely not vote. The reasons why they do not want to go to the polls can largely be traced to an anti-political sentiment: 46% of non-voters do not want to vote “because they no longer trust politicians”, a fifth say that “politicians do not understand their world understand” and 15% say that “no party suits me”. One third say they are not interested in politics and one fifth give ‘another reason’ why they do not want to vote.
In summary, 85% of Belgians would tick a cross – either for a politician or blank – in the voting booth next year. A small 10% of doubters may still be convinced to have their say at the polling station. But a small minority of 6% is already saying strongly against next year’s elections.
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