Formation timeline: three Regions, three speeds
Duration of government formation after the 9 June 2024 elections
| Entity | Value | Date |
|---|---|---|
| VLA | ~4 months (government formed in October 2024) | 1 October 2024 |
| WAL | ~8 months (government formed in February 2025) | 1 February 2025 |
| BXL | 20+ months (still without government in February 2026) | 7 February 2026 |
| VLA | 2025 budget voted on time | 1 January 2025 |
| WAL | 2025 budget voted in December 2025 | 1 December 2025 |
| BXL | Provisional twelfths since July 2024 | 1 February 2026 |
Methodology
Calculation of the duration between election day (9 June 2024) and the swearing-in of the regional government. For Brussels, where no government has been formed, the duration is calculated up to the publication date (February 2026). Swearing-in dates come from official acts of the regional parliaments.
Comparability limitations
Formation durations are not directly comparable without accounting for institutional context: Brussels requires constitutional linguistic balances absent in Flanders and Wallonia. The number of parties needed to form a majority is also higher in Brussels.
Context
The elections of 9 June 2024 simultaneously renewed the regional parliaments and the federal parliament. Each Region began its own government formation process, with very different outcomes.
Flanders: rapid formation (~4 months)
The Flemish Parliament quickly identified a majority. The designated formateur was able to constitute a government that was sworn in during October 2024. This speed is explained by a more legible parliamentary configuration, with fewer parties needed to reach a majority.
Consequences:
- Continuity of regional policies
- 2025 budget voted within constitutional deadlines
- No interruption in public investments
Wallonia: intermediate formation (~8 months)
The Walloon Region experienced a longer formation process. Negotiations lasted from the summer of 2024 to January 2025, and the Walloon government was sworn in during February 2025. The Region operated on provisional twelfths during this period.
Consequences:
- Provisional twelfths for approximately eight months
- Delay in launching new regional programmes
- 2025 budget ultimately voted in December 2025
Brussels: formation still ongoing (20+ months)
The Brussels-Capital Region still has no fully empowered government as of February 2026. Several formation attempts have failed, with successive information and formation missions. The outgoing government remains in caretaker mode.
Consequences:
- Uninterrupted provisional twelfths regime since the elections
- Paralysis of all new regional policy
- Erosion of public action capacity
Explanatory factors
The length of the Brussels formation is explained by several structural factors:
- Linguistic balances: the special law requires representation of both language groups in the regional government
- Political fragmentation: the high number of parties in the Brussels Parliament makes coalitions arithmetically and politically complex
- Community issues: some parties set conditions linked to institutional reform, without direct connection to regional competences
Sources
- Brussels Parliament, session documents and official acts
- Flemish Parliament, government swearing-in (October 2024)
- Walloon Parliament, government swearing-in (February 2025)
- Belgian Official Gazette, government appointments
Source: Regional parliaments — Official acts and documents
Last updated: 7 February 2026