Gent
Gent (English: Ghent; French: Gand) is a city and municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium, located at the confluence of the Scheldt and Leie rivers, serving as the capital and largest city of East Flanders province.[1] With a population of approximately 264,000 inhabitants and an additional 78,000 students, it ranks as Belgium's third-largest urban center and a prominent port city known for its blend of medieval heritage and modern vibrancy.[2] Originally settled around 630 AD with the establishment of Saint Bavo's Abbey, Gent emerged as one of northern Europe's largest and most prosperous cities between 1000 and 1550, driven by its textile trade guilds and strategic river position that facilitated commerce in cloth and grain.[1] Its medieval core features iconic landmarks such as the Gravensteen (Castle of the Counts), a 12th-century fortress symbolizing feudal power; the UNESCO-listed Belfry, a symbol of civic independence; and Saint Bavo's Cathedral, housing the Ghent Altarpiece, a polyptych masterpiece completed by the Van Eyck brothers in 1432 that exemplifies early Northern Renaissance art.[3] During the Industrial Revolution, Gent became Flanders' manufacturing hub, particularly in textiles, though it largely escaped World War II bombing, preserving its historic fabric.[4] Today, it thrives as an educational powerhouse with Ghent University, founded in 1817 and one of Belgium's oldest institutions, fostering innovation in sciences and humanities amid a youthful, canal-lined urban landscape.[5]History
Pre-Medieval Origins and Early Settlement
The strategic location of Ghent at the confluence of the Scheldt and Leie rivers, known in Celtic times as Ganda (meaning "confluence"), facilitated early human activity due to its role as a natural crossing point and trade nexus in the lowlands of Flanders.[6] Archaeological evidence indicates sporadic occupation during the late Iron Age and Roman period, with the surrounding Pagus Candensis region experiencing Roman settlement influxes in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, including rural villas and infrastructure, though the core urban site shows limited continuous presence.[6] By the late 3rd century AD, these settlements were largely abandoned amid coastal flooding from sea incursions and broader migrations southward and eastward following the empire's decline around 400 AD.[6] Recent paleoenvironmental analysis of soil cores from Ghent reveals human traces extending back through the Roman era, confirming intermittent use of the riverine landscape for agriculture and transit, but without evidence of a fortified or densely populated precursor to the medieval city.[7] The area's repopulation accelerated in the 7th century during Frankish Christianization efforts, as missionaries targeted pagan holdouts in the northern Frankish periphery. In approximately 630 AD, Saint Amandus (c. 584–679), a Frankish bishop and missionary, selected the Ganda site to establish an abbey, marking the inception of organized settlement and laying the foundation for Ghent's ecclesiastical core.[1] This initiative included the founding of the Blandinium monastery between 629 and 639 AD, followed by Saint Bavo's Abbey and the consecration of its church around 675 AD, potentially built atop earlier Roman remnants.[6] Concurrently, Saint Peter's Abbey emerged in the late 7th century under Amandus's influence, fostering land reclamation and rudimentary trade amid a landscape recovering from depopulation.[6] These monastic centers provided stability, though Viking raids from c. 800 to 880 AD periodically disrupted growth, with the first documented harbor and trading activities noted in 865 AD.[6] By the 9th century, a moated trading enclave had formed, transitioning the site from peripheral outpost to proto-urban hub.[8]Medieval Prosperity and Autonomy
Ghent's medieval prosperity originated in the 12th century, when its location at the confluence of the Scheldt and Leie rivers positioned it as a vital commercial node in the County of Flanders, facilitating the trade of raw materials such as unprocessed wool, grain, dairy, fish, salt, peat, and dyestuffs like madder.[6] This economic foundation expanded rapidly through specialization in the textile sector, particularly the production of high-quality woolen cloths using imported English wool, which were finished with advanced dyeing and fulling techniques and exported across Europe via intermediaries like Bruges.[9] By the 13th century, the cloth industry dominated the local economy, employing tens of thousands in weaving, shearing, and related crafts, and generating wealth that funded urban infrastructure including markets, warehouses, and defensive walls.[10] Population estimates indicate Ghent reached approximately 50,000 to 65,000 residents by around 1300, establishing it as one of the largest and most densely populated cities north of the Alps, surpassing contemporaries like London in scale during its peak.[6] This growth reflected the causal link between industrial output and urbanization: the demand for labor in textile production drew migrants from rural Flanders and beyond, while export revenues—peaking in the late 13th century before disruptions from plagues and wars—sustained high wages and investment in guild halls and civic monuments.[11] Economic data from surviving guild records and trade accounts underscore the sector's dominance, with Ghent's annual cloth output rivaling that of Ypres and Bruges combined at its zenith, though intra-Flemish competition and reliance on volatile wool supplies introduced periodic instability.[12] Autonomy derived from successive charters granted by the Counts of Flanders, which formalized urban self-governance and exempted citizens from certain feudal dues, beginning notably with privileges issued by Count William Clito in 1127 that affirmed Ghent's commercial freedoms and judicial independence. Administration fell to a council of 13 aldermen (schepenen), elected from prominent families and later accountable to craft guilds, enabling the city to levy taxes, regulate markets, and maintain a militia without direct comital oversight.[13] The 53 recognized guilds, spearheaded by textile producers like weavers and fullers, exerted causal influence on policy by controlling apprenticeships, quality standards, and political alliances, often rebelling against perceived encroachments—such as in 1302, when Ghent's forces contributed to the Flemish victory at the Battle of Courtrai (Golden Spurs) against French royal ambitions, preserving local liberties.[14] This guild-driven structure peaked in the mid-14th century, as seen under Jacob van Artevelde's leadership from 1345, when artisan corporations sidelined patricians to forge trade pacts with England amid the Hundred Years' War, prioritizing wool access over feudal loyalty.[12] Such mechanisms fostered resilience but also tensions, as guilds' monopolistic practices—enforced through strikes like those in 1252 and 1274—defended prosperity against both comital taxes and foreign interference, though they invited retaliatory castles like the Gravensteen built circa 1180 by Count Philip of Alsace to reassert authority.[9] [15] Empirical evidence from guild statutes and revolt chronicles reveals that this autonomy, rooted in economic leverage rather than mere concession, enabled Ghent to negotiate as one of the "Three Members of Flanders" (alongside Bruges and Ypres), collectively bargaining with counts to mitigate overreach.[13]Early Modern Period: Habsburg Rule and Rebellions
Ghent came under Habsburg rule as part of the inheritance of Charles V, who was born in the city on February 24 or 25, 1500, in the Prinsenhof Palace.[15] As Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain, Charles governed the Low Countries, including Ghent within the Seventeen Provinces, from the 1510s onward, pursuing centralization policies that clashed with the city's longstanding privileges and guild-based autonomy.[15] Economic strains from declining textile trade and competition exacerbated tensions, as Ghent's prosperity waned amid silting rivers and shifting markets.[15] The Revolt of Ghent erupted in late 1539, triggered by refusal to pay heavy taxes imposed to fund Charles V's wars against France and the Ottoman Empire.[15] Guilds and burghers, distrustful of fund allocation and resenting central oversight, seized control, expelling Habsburg officials and asserting local rule.[15] Charles responded decisively, arriving in February 1540 with troops to besiege and retake the city after brief resistance.[15] Suppression was severe: trials led to 25 executions, revocation of key privileges, removal of the symbolic Roland bell from the belfry, and demolition of St. Bavo's Abbey to build the Citadel fortress for Habsburg control.[15] On May 3, 1540, a humiliating procession forced 30 burghers and 50 workmen to march with nooses around their necks, symbolizing submission.[15] These measures diminished Ghent's political independence, integrating it more firmly into Habsburg administration under Charles and his successors. Under Philip II, religious divisions and fiscal burdens fueled Ghent's alignment with the Dutch Revolt. The Pacification of Ghent, signed November 8, 1576, united provinces against Spanish troops, demanding their expulsion while promising religious tolerance; the city hosted the assembly and endorsed the pact.[16] Calvinists briefly controlled Ghent from 1577, enforcing iconoclasm, until Spanish forces under Alexander Farnese besieged and recaptured it on September 17, 1584, restoring Catholic Habsburg authority.[17] Subsequent Spanish Habsburg rule brought stability but economic stagnation, transitioning after the 1714 Treaty of Utrecht to Austrian Habsburgs, who granted autonomy until French Revolutionary invasions in 1794, with no major local rebellions recorded in the 18th century.[18]Industrialization and 19th-Century Growth
In the early 19th century, Ghent emerged as a pioneer of industrialization in continental Europe, driven primarily by the adoption of British textile technologies. Local entrepreneur Lieven Bauwens smuggled a spinning mule and other machinery from England in 1799, establishing the city's first mechanized cotton mill by 1801, which marked the onset of factory-based production.[19] This innovation spurred rapid growth in cotton spinning and weaving, with Ghent hosting approximately 10,000 factory workers and 115,000 spindles by the early 1820s, stimulating ancillary sectors like machine-building and dyeing.[20] Following Belgian independence in 1830, Ghent's textile sector expanded further amid favorable tariffs and infrastructure investments, including the Ghent-Terneuzen canal completed in 1827, which enhanced access to raw cotton imports and export markets. By mid-century, the city had become Belgium's leading cotton producer, with power looms and steam engines integrating into production processes, countering earlier economic setbacks from French competition.[20] Complementary industries, such as sugar refining and metalworking, also proliferated from around 1800, leveraging the region's waterways for power and transport.[19] Population growth reflected this economic surge: Ghent's inhabitants doubled from about 50,000 in 1800 to 100,000 by 1850, fueled by rural migration to factories. By the late 19th century, the city supported around 1,500 textile factories amid a total population of 120,000, though this density contributed to overcrowding and labor unrest.[21][22] Despite vulnerabilities to international competition, Ghent's mechanized output positioned it as a key node in Europe's industrial landscape until the sector's relative decline post-1900.[20]20th Century: Wars, Occupation, and Reconstruction
During World War I, German forces invaded Belgium on August 4, 1914, reaching Ghent by October 12, 1914, and establishing military occupation until liberation on November 10, 1918.[23] The city served as a rear-area hub for German troops, with strict controls including censorship, mandatory identity cards, and requisitions for labor that affected 11,782 Ghent residents, resulting in 333 deaths from forced work.[23] Food shortages intensified by 1916, compelling 60,000 inhabitants to rely on aid distributions, while smuggling became a widespread, hazardous means of survival amid unemployment and hunger.[23] [24] Notable incidents included a Zeppelin crash in the Sint-Amandsberg district on June 6–7, 1915, causing civilian casualties, and the execution of 52 residents for alleged spying at the Godshuizenlaan range, among them three women.[23] German Emperor Wilhelm II visited Ghent on December 23, 1917, underscoring the occupiers' administrative presence.[23] In World War II, Ghent fell under Nazi occupation following Belgium's surrender on May 28, 1940, enduring four years of restrictions that brought widespread misery, hunger, and deteriorating living conditions for most residents.[23] The city experienced economic exploitation, forced labor deportations, and suppression of dissent, though organized resistance remained localized and fragmented across Belgium, with activities including sabotage and intelligence gathering emerging gradually against the hardening regime.[25] Liberation arrived in September 1944, spearheaded by Britain's 7th Armoured Division, which entered Ghent amid celebrations despite pockets of German resistance in the northern outskirts.[26] Unlike frontline areas, Ghent sustained relatively limited physical damage from bombings or battles in both wars, preserving much of its medieval and industrial infrastructure.[24] Post-war reconstruction emphasized rapid economic recovery over extensive physical rebuilding, leveraging Ghent's intact urban core and port facilities to revive textile and manufacturing industries hit by wartime disruptions. After 1918, the city absorbed 45,000 refugees who had fled earlier fighting, facilitating a swift return to pre-war population levels and labor resumption, though lingering resentments led to expulsions of German communities.[23] Following 1945, Belgian-wide efforts, including Allied aid and infrastructure prioritization, enabled Ghent's integration into national modernization, with minimal monumental reconstruction required due to avoided devastation; for instance, cultural assets like the Ghent Altarpiece were repatriated and secured rather than rebuilt.[27] By the mid-20th century, these phases solidified Ghent's resilience, transitioning focus from occupation scars to industrial expansion amid Belgium's broader post-war boom.[28]Post-2000 Developments and Urban Renewal
Ghent has pursued extensive urban renewal through ten neighborhood-focused programs, initiated progressively since the early 2000s, integrating economic revitalization, housing improvements, and environmental enhancements via participatory planning with residents and stakeholders. These initiatives align with broader EU-funded urban strategies, emphasizing long-term neighborhood transformation over decades.[29][30] Key projects include the "Living Streets" initiative, launched in the 2010s, which temporarily or permanently closes residential streets to through-traffic, reallocating space for pedestrians, cyclists, and community activities to foster social cohesion and reduce car dependency. The city's 2030 Structural Vision, "Space for Ghent," adopted in the late 2010s, guides compact urban growth, mobility upgrades, and climate adaptation measures such as green infrastructure to mitigate flooding risks from the Scheldt River. Public space interventions, like the renovation of central squares by architects Robbrecht en Daem around 2010, blend contemporary design with historic preservation to enhance pedestrian flow and aesthetic appeal.[31][32][33] Infrastructure developments feature the port's integration into North Sea Port via merger with Zeeland Seaports in 2018, yielding record cargo volumes and investments in rail connectivity, including six modernized 750-meter tracks in 2025 to support longer freight trains and modal shifts from road transport. The R4 West-East ring road project, contracted in the early 2020s and recognized in 2025, aims to alleviate congestion, enhance safety, and promote sustainability around the urban periphery. Complementary efforts encompass the 2020-2025 Climate Plan, embedding low-carbon goals across administration, and child-friendly planning policies since 2015, prioritizing safe play spaces in urban design.[34][35][36][37][38] However, greening projects in neighborhoods like Watersportbaan, spanning two decades from the early 2000s, have sparked debates over "green gentrification," where enhanced parks and waterfronts correlate with rising property values and displacement of lower-income residents, as reported by local studies attributing resident dissatisfaction to exclusionary outcomes. Housing innovations, such as the Wooncoop cooperative model introduced in 2017, counter this by empowering renters in decision-making for sustainable, affordable units, reflecting Ghent's experimentation with urban commons.[39][40]Geography and Environment
Location and Physical Features
Gent is situated in the Flemish Region of northwestern Belgium, serving as the capital and largest city of East Flanders Province.[41] The city lies approximately 50 kilometers northwest of Brussels and 52 kilometers southwest of Antwerp.[42][43] Its geographic coordinates are roughly 51.05°N latitude and 3.72°E longitude.[44] The urban area developed at the confluence of the Scheldt (Schelde) and Leie (Lys) rivers, which historically facilitated trade and settlement.[45] These waterways traverse the city center, contributing to an extensive network of navigable canals that shape its layout and hydrology. The surrounding terrain consists of flat lowlands typical of Belgium's northwestern coastal plain transitioning to central plateaus, with minimal topographic variation.[45][46] Elevation across the municipality averages around 7 meters above sea level, rendering the area vulnerable to flooding from river overflows and tidal influences on the Scheldt estuary.[47] The landscape features fertile alluvial soils deposited by the rivers, supporting agriculture in peri-urban zones, while urban expansion has incorporated polder-like reclaimed areas managed through dikes and drainage systems.[41]Climate and Environmental Challenges
Ghent features a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb), with mild summers and cool, damp winters. The average annual temperature is 11.0 °C, with mean highs reaching 22 °C in July and lows dropping to 3 °C in January. Precipitation averages 786–811 mm annually, occurring on approximately 180–200 days, with the wettest months in autumn and winter featuring 60–80 mm of rainfall.[48] [49] [50] The city's position at the confluence of the Scheldt and Leie rivers exposes it to fluvial and pluvial flooding risks, intensified by impervious urban surfaces and climate-driven increases in extreme precipitation. Assessments highlight vulnerability to moderate-to-extreme flood events impacting infrastructure and vulnerable populations, with historical incidents underscoring the need for robust drainage systems. Climate projections indicate rising sea levels could induce salinization and backwater effects in the Scheldt estuary, elevating flood hazards even inland.[51] [52] Air quality challenges persist from traffic, residential heating, and port activities, with particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels occasionally exceeding health thresholds, contributing to respiratory issues. Urban water bodies face pollution from stormwater runoff carrying contaminants like heavy metals and nutrients, degrading aquatic ecosystems and recreational usability, though wastewater treatment expansions aim to mitigate this.[53] [54] [55] Broader climate change impacts include more frequent heatwaves amplifying urban heat islands, periodic droughts straining water resources, and intensified storms, all demanding adaptive strategies such as green roofing and permeable surfaces to enhance resilience.[55] [52]Demographics
Population Dynamics and Trends
Ghent's population has exhibited steady growth since the late 20th century, driven primarily by net positive migration amid low natural increase. As of 2025, the municipality counts 272,657 inhabitants, reflecting an increase of 48,816 from 223,841 residents in 1990.[56] This expansion accelerated following the 1977 municipal mergers, which incorporated surrounding areas and boosted the city proper's count from approximately 140,000 to 249,000.[57] Recent annual growth rates have outpaced the Flemish regional average, with the population reaching 270,473 by the end of 2024 and projections estimating nearly 290,000 by 2033.[58] Vital statistics underscore limited natural growth: the birth rate stands at 10.3 per 1,000 inhabitants, while the death rate is 8.4 per 1,000, yielding a modest natural surplus offset and augmented by a migration rate of 9.3 per 1,000.[59] International inflows, including students and workers, contribute significantly, with Ghent hosting over 78,000 students and a diverse commuter base exceeding 100,000 daily.[2] [60] Longer-term forecasts indicate continued expansion to 301,457 by 2040, an 8% rise from 2023 levels, fueled by sustained immigration amid Belgium's sub-replacement fertility of around 1.71 births per woman nationally.[61] [62] The city's younger demographic profile, with a higher proportion of 25- to 39-year-olds compared to Flanders overall, supports this trajectory but also strains housing and infrastructure.[63]| Year | Population | Annual Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 223,841 | - |
| 2024 | 270,473 | ~0.5 (avg. since 1990) |
| 2025 | 272,657 | 0.8 |
| 2040 (proj.) | 301,457 | ~0.6 (avg. to 2040) |
Ethnic and Linguistic Composition
Ghent is situated in the Flemish Region of Belgium, where Dutch—specifically its Flemish dialect—is the official and predominant language. As a unilingual Dutch-speaking municipality, Dutch serves as the language of government, public services, education, and daily communication for the native population, with estimates indicating that over 95% of residents in Flanders, including Ghent, use Dutch as their primary language in public and professional contexts.[64][65] English proficiency is notably high due to the presence of Ghent University and international commerce, but it functions as a secondary language rather than a primary one.[66] Linguistic diversity arises primarily from immigration, with non-Dutch languages spoken at home by segments of the foreign-origin population. Common home languages among immigrant communities include Arabic (prevalent among Moroccan-origin residents), Turkish, and increasingly Eastern European languages such as Polish and Ukrainian, though comprehensive home-language surveys are limited due to Belgium's policy of not conducting regular linguistic censuses to avoid exacerbating communal tensions.[67] In practice, Dutch assimilation is encouraged through mandatory integration courses for newcomers, contributing to multilingualism where Dutch overlays native tongues in intergenerational shifts.[68] Ethnically, Ghent's population reflects a mix of indigenous Flemish stock and post-war immigration waves. As of recent municipal data, approximately 61.2% of residents are of Belgian origin (defined as having both parents born in Belgium with Belgian nationality), while 38.8% trace their origin to foreign countries based on criteria including current nationality, parents' birthplaces, and prior nationalities.[69] This foreign-origin share exceeds the Flemish regional average of about 28%, attributable to Ghent's role as a university hub attracting international students and a historical port drawing labor migrants.[70] Non-Belgian nationals comprise roughly 12-15% of the total, with the remainder being naturalized Belgians of foreign descent.[71] The composition has shifted due to sustained inflows: labor migration from Turkey and Morocco in the 1960s-1970s established enduring communities, supplemented by EU intra-mobility (e.g., from the Netherlands and Poland) and recent refugee arrivals from Syria and Ukraine.[60][72] These groups maintain distinct cultural enclaves in certain neighborhoods, such as Turkish and Moroccan concentrations in inner-city districts, though intermarriage and urbanization promote integration. Statbel's origin tracking underscores causal factors like economic pull—Ghent's industries and education sector—over policy-driven changes, with foreign-origin shares rising from under 20% in the 1990s to current levels amid Europe's broader migration patterns.[73]Socioeconomic Indicators
Ghent exhibits a robust employment landscape, with an employment rate of 77% among the working-age population in recent assessments, surpassing the national Belgian average of 72.1% for ages 20-64 in 2023.[74] [75] The job seeker rate in Ghent stood at 9.9% in 2023, reflecting urban challenges such as a diverse migrant population and student influx, though this exceeds the Flemish regional average of approximately 4-5%.[76] Average taxable income per tax declaration in Ghent reached €36,725 in 2022, marking a 4.75% increase from the prior year, indicative of steady wage growth amid a knowledge-based economy bolstered by the port and university sectors.[56] [77] Household incomes average around €27,371 for families in 2022, though this figure captures a mix of single-person and multi-member units, with higher earners in professional services offsetting lower incomes in immigrant-dense neighborhoods.[78] Educational attainment in Ghent is elevated for an urban center, with 37.7% of the population aged 15 and older holding higher education qualifications as of the 2021 census, driven by Ghent University's enrollment of over 50,000 students and its role as a regional hub for tertiary studies.[79] This contrasts with the Flemish average of 45.3% highly skilled among 25-64-year-olds in 2024, as Ghent's figure includes younger cohorts and non-working residents.[80] The at-risk-of-poverty rate in Ghent was 11.7% in recent data (affecting approximately 30,820 residents out of 263,419), higher than the Flemish rate of 7.9% but aligned with urban patterns where one in eight families faces income below the threshold after social transfers.[81] [82] This risk is concentrated among single-parent households and non-EU migrants, though mitigated by local welfare provisions exceeding national benchmarks in some metrics.[83]| Indicator | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Rate (working-age) | 77% | Recent | [74] |
| Job Seeker Rate | 9.9% | 2023 | [76] |
| Average Taxable Income per Declaration | €36,725 | 2022 | [56] |
| Higher Education Attainment (15+) | 37.7% | 2021 | [79] |
| At-Risk-of-Poverty Rate | 11.7% | Recent | [81] |
Government and Politics
Municipal Structure and Administration
Ghent operates as a municipality within the Flemish Region of Belgium, governed by a directly elected municipal council (gemeenteraad) comprising 53 members, including those in the executive college.[84] The council serves as the legislative body, responsible for approving budgets, ordinances, and major policies, with members elected every six years by proportional representation.[85] The most recent election occurred on October 13, 2024, with councilors sworn in on January 7, 2025; Voor Gent secured 19 seats, forming a majority coalition with Groen (14 seats).[86][85] Executive authority resides in the college van burgemeester en schepenen, consisting of the mayor and 10 aldermen (schepenen), who manage daily operations and implement council decisions across policy domains such as mobility, finance, and social welfare.[87] The mayor, appointed by the Flemish government from the council's leading party, holds overall responsibility for public order, policing, and civil registry; Mathias De Clercq of Voor Gent has served in this role since 2019 and was reaffirmed following the 2024 elections.[88][89] The administrative apparatus supports the political structure through a professional bureaucracy integrated with the Public Centre for Social Welfare (OCMW Gent) since January 1, 2015, emphasizing result-oriented and efficient service delivery.[90] A central management team, including a general director, financial director, and department heads, coordinates policy execution across clusters such as internal services, urban development, and citizen services, as outlined in the organizational chart effective January 1, 2025.[90] An ombudsman service addresses complaints regarding city, OCMW, or affiliated entities like sogent (urban development company).[90] For localized administration, the city divides into 25 neighbourhoods, each assigned a dedicated contact person within the administration to handle community-specific issues.[91]Political Parties and Electoral History
Ghent's municipal politics feature a multi-party system reflecting Belgium's proportional representation, with the city council consisting of 53 seats elected every six years. Unlike the Flemish Region's broader shift toward nationalist parties such as N-VA and Vlaams Belang, Ghent maintains a progressive orientation, prioritizing center-left coalitions focused on urban sustainability, social services, and cultural policies. Major active parties include Vooruit (social democrats), Open Vld (liberals), Groen (greens), CD&V (Christian democrats), N-VA (center-right Flemish nationalists), Vlaams Belang (right-wing Flemish nationalists), and PVDA (left-wing).[92] In the October 14, 2018, municipal elections, a coalition of Open Vld, Groen, Vooruit, and CD&V formed the governing majority, led by mayor Mathias De Clercq of Open Vld, emphasizing continuity in progressive governance amid rising nationalist sentiments elsewhere in Flanders. This administration managed urban renewal, mobility, and environmental initiatives until 2024.[92] The October 13, 2024, elections saw Voor Gent—a cartel of Open Vld and Vooruit—retain the largest share at 32.5% of the vote, translating to 19 seats, though down from a combined 22 seats in 2018. Groen held steady at 24.6% and 14 seats, while N-VA advanced to 17.8% (+5.7 percentage points from 2018) for 10 seats, reflecting localized gains in Flemish nationalist support. CD&V received 8.6% for 4 seats, PVDA 7.4% for 3 seats, and Vlaams Belang 6.5% (-1.3 points) for 3 seats. Voter turnout was approximately 64.9%.[93]| Party/List | Vote Percentage | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Voor Gent (Open Vld + Vooruit) | 32.5% | 19 |
| Groen | 24.6% | 14 |
| N-VA | 17.8% | 10 |
| CD&V | 8.6% | 4 |
| PVDA | 7.4% | 3 |
| Vlaams Belang | 6.5% | 3 |