In a surprising turn of events, Belgian voters opted for a significant transformation of their country's state structure and financial policies during Sunday's triple election. The New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) and Reformist Movement (MR) emerged victorious, securing new national, regional, and European parliamentary seats.

The outcome left pollsters perplexed, as the far-right and separatist party Vlaams Belang had been anticipated to win a decisive victory in Flanders. However, the party underperformed and N-VA took the lead. The liberal MR also defied expectations, defeating the long-standing power of the Socialists (PS) in Wallonia and Brussels.

During his victory speech, N-VA chair Bart De Wever highlighted the voters' desire for greater autonomy, asserting that "Flanders has more than ever chosen for more autonomy." The party aims to transfer a major portion of the federal government's responsibilities to the regions of Flanders and Wallonia, essentially diminishing the role of the federal government to areas such as defense and foreign policy.

Both the N-VA and MR campaigned on a center-right economic reform platform to address the country's mounting government deficit. The election results indicate a clear demand for change and reform, according to MR's party president, Georges-Louis Bouchez.

For outgoing Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, the election marked a disaster. His Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open VLD) suffered a significant drop in support, receiving only 8.7 percent of the Flemish votes in the federal election, a decrease of 4.8 percentage points since 2019. De Croo admitted defeat in an emotional speech, and the party announced its intention to seek a new president.

Following the election, De Croo submitted his resignation as prime minister to King Philippe, as per the procedural requirements. The king is set to meet with leaders from Belgium's prominent parties in a specific order: first, N-VA's De Wever, followed by Vlaams Belang's Tom Van Grieken, and finally, MR's Bouchez. Subsequently, the king will appoint negotiators to initiate talks for the formation of a coalition government.

These election results reflect the Belgian electorate's desire for significant changes in their country's governance and fiscal policies. As negotiations commence, the N-VA and MR will be tasked with taking their respective mandates forward to create a government that can effectively address the demands and aspirations of the Belgian people.