Fewer marriages, more legal cohabitations in 2019

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Fewer marriages, more legal cohabitations in 2019

Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, publishes today the figures on marriages and legal cohabitations. 44,270 marriages have been contracted in 2019 in Belgium, i.e. a slight decrease of 1.8 % compared to 2018. Furthermore, there were 40,801 declarations of legal cohabitation. This is an increase compared to 2018 (+5 %).

Marriages: decrease in Flanders, increase in Brussels, status quo in Wallonia

44,270 marriages have been contracted in 2019. This is a slight decrease of 1.8 % compared to 2018. This decrease only occurred in Flanders (-4.0 %). In the Brussels-Capital Region, the number of marriages is on the rise (+6.9 %). In Wallonia, the evolution is fairly stable (+0.7 %).

In 2019, it is still around the age of thirty that single people marry for the first time, at 33.2 years for the first spouse and at 30.8 years for the second. The age difference in the couple remains stable: 2.4 years between the two spouses.

The summer months are once again popular to get married: 51.7 % of marriages take place between early June and end September.

The number of legal cohabitation declarations and terminations is on the rise in 2019

There were 40,801 declarations of legal cohabitation. This is an increase compared to 2018 (+5 %). The number of legal cohabitation terminations increases to a lesser extent: +2 % compared to 2018.

The average duration of legal cohabitation has slightly increased from 4.6 years in 2018 to 4.8 years in 2019.

Marriage is the main cause of legal cohabitation termination.

Legal cohabitation around the age of 30

In 2019, it is around the age of thirty that single partners enter into legal cohabitation for the first time: on average at 31.4 years for the first cohabitant and 29.5 years for the second. The age difference in the couple remains stable: 1.9 years for legal cohabitants.