Belgium Sets May 2028 Window for Workplace Elections as Council Redraws the Rulebook
Published on 10/31/2026 at 01:10 | Editorial boerse-global.de
Belgian employers and unions now have a date to work toward: the country's next round of social elections will run from 15 to 28 May 2028. The National Labour Council (CNT) fixed the window in Opinion No. 2.502, adopted on 27 October 2026. These ballots, which decide who sits on workplace bodies, are held every four years.
From Opinion to Draft Law
The same opinion goes beyond scheduling. It also sets out proposals for streamlining the election process as a whole. Acting on instructions from the labour minister, the Council's work is to be turned into an official draft law without delay, giving companies and organisations legal certainty.
At stake in the vote is employee representation across Belgian economic life. Staff choose the members of their works councils (CE) and of the committees for safety and health at work (CPPT).
Staff Numbers Decide Which Bodies Exist
Statutory thresholds tie the creation of these bodies to headcount. A CPPT is required once a company reaches an average of at least 50 employees. A works council must be set up at 100 employees, while renewing an existing council applies from 50.
The scale of the exercise shows in the last round: nearly 7,000 companies took part in the 2024 elections, and around 11,000 bodies were renewed nationwide. With the timetable now published, employers and trade unions can begin preparing for the multi-stage procedure that culminates in May 2028.
