Flanders municipal merger proposals

The political party Vooruit has proposed a restructuring of the administrative landscape in Flanders, suggesting that the number of municipalities be reduced from 285 to approximately 98 by 2036. Kurt De Loor of Vooruit proposed that these mergers become mandatory starting in 2030, aiming to create larger entities of roughly 50,000 inhabitants aligned with existing police zones to address personnel shortages and administrative complexity.

This proposal has met with opposition from various levels of government. Minister Hilde Crevits (cd&v) rejected forced mergers, arguing that larger administrations might alienate citizens, preferring instead to use financial incentives for voluntary mergers.

Locally, the Vooruit branch in Geraardsbergen has also expressed opposition to the mandatory model. Chairman Stijn De Bock argued that the primary issue for local governments is financing rather than size, noting that redrawing boundaries does not reduce infrastructure maintenance costs. He emphasized that mergers should remain voluntary and based on mutual benefit, pointing out that municipalities like Geraardsbergen and Lierde already collaborate through existing regional partnerships.