Oudsbergen (; li, Audsberge ) is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in the Belgian province of Limburg that arose on 1 January 2019 from the merging of the municipalities of

Opglabbeek Opglabbeek (; li, Glabbek) is a village, former municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. In 2018, Opglabbeek had a total population of 10,332. The total area is 24.98 km². The municipality consisted of the following commun ...

and

Meeuwen-Gruitrode Meeuwen-Gruitrode (; li, Miëve-Roj, ) is a former municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg Limburg or Limbourg may refer to: Regions * Limburg (Belgium), a province since 1839 in the Flanders region of Belgium * Limburg (Nethe ...

. The merged municipality has an area of 116.24 km² and a population of 23,520 people in 2021.

Creation

The

Flemish Government The Flemish Government ( nl, Vlaamse regering ) is the executive branch of the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region of Belgium. It consists of a government cabinet, headed by the Minister-President and accountable to the Flemish Parliament, ...

provides incentives for municipalities to voluntarily merge. The municipal councils of Opglabbeek and Meeuwen-Gruitrode approved a merge in principle in November 2016. Definitive approval occurred on 26 June 2017, which was ratified by Flemish

decree A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state (such as the president of a republic or a monarch), according to certain procedures (usually established in a constitution). It has the force of law. The particular term used ...

of 4 May 2018 alongside several other merges, all to be effective per 1 January 2019. As of 1 January 2018, the municipality of Opglabbeek had a population of 10,332 and Meeuwen-Gruitrode a population of 13,091.

Government

The first elections for the new municipality were held during the regular local elections of 14 October 2018, electing a municipal council for the legislative period of 2019–2024. CD&V obtained a majority of seats in the municipal council (17 out of 27). Lode Ceyssens, who was mayor of

until then, became mayor of Oudsbergen.

References

External links

Official site
(in Dutch) Municipalities of Limburg (Belgium) Populated places in Limburg (Belgium) {{LimburgBE-geo-stub