The mayors of eight Flemish municipalities in western Belgium have announced that they will not organise EU elections, in protest over the mapping of the electoral constituency, which also includes French-speaking municipalities in Brussels.

The municipalities of Dilbeek, Gooik, Lennik, Londerzeel, Meise, Overijse, Roosdaal and Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, with a total population of 160,000, are located west of Brussels and part of Flemish Brabant, with very few French-speaking inhabitants. At present, they are part of the electoral district of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde.

No polling stations will be set up for EU elections in eight municipalities around Brussels

"We will warn the other 21 municipalities of our decision," the mayor of Gooik said.

In the legislative 2007 elections, the same municipalities refused to set up electoral lists and organise polling stations, a task which was ultimately taken over by the governor of Flemish Brabant.