# Lommel

Lommel (Dutch pronunciation:) is a municipality and city in the Belgian province of Limburg. Lying in the Kempen, it has about 34,000 inhabitants and is part of the arrondissement of Maaseik.
Besides the residential town, Lommel also has a number of nature reserves, such as the nature reserve De Watering, the Lommel Sahara, and numerous forests and heathlands. Lommel is the third shopping city in Belgian Limburg with a commercial and shopping center De Singel. Importantly, the silver sand that is mined here for the benefit of the glass industry. Some sand mining quarries are transformed into nature reserves and recreational areas, including Lommel Sahara.
The city of Lommel is in the watershed of the basins of the Scheldt, and Meuse, and within these basins Nete Dommel respectively.
Tamar, a maternity home for pregnant girls and unmarried mothers and their children run by the Congregation of Kindsheid Jesu, is located in Lommel. Despite its religious mission to help young women, Tamar was notorious for numerous scandals, including forced adoptions, unwanted sterilizations, and abuse of the women placed in its care.

## Language

The dialect of Lommel is, despite its location in Limburg, part of the East Brabantian, not the Limburgish dialects, reflecting the particular history of the city.

## Etymology

The name comes from Loemelo. Loem means moist, swampy and Lo is forest or woodland.

## Demographic development

All historical data relating to the current municipality, including towns such as arose after the merger of January 1, 1977.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1846 | 2,486 | — |
| 1866 | 3,009 | +0.96% |
| 1880 | 3,042 | +0.08% |
| 1890 | 3,252 | +0.67% |
| 1900 | 4,431 | +3.14% |
| 1910 | 7,022 | +4.71% |
| 1920 | 7,811 | +1.07% |
| 1930 | 9,666 | +2.15% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1947 | 13,487 | +1.98% |
| 1961 | 17,923 | +2.05% |
| 1970 | 21,984 | +2.30% |
| 1981 | 25,412 | +1.33% |
| 1990 | 27,427 | +0.85% |
| 2000 | 30,433 | +1.05% |
| 2010 | 32,917 | +0.79% |
| 2015 | 33,852 | +0.56% |

## Politics
### Structure

The city of Lommel is located in the arrondissement of Maaseik and the Limburg parliamentary constituency (which coincides with the province of Limburg).
| Lommel | Lommel | Supranational | National | National | Community | Region | Province | Arrondissement | County district | Canton | Municipality |
| Administration | Level | European Union | Belgium | Belgium | Flanders | Flanders | Limburg | Maaseik | Limburg | Limburg | Lommel |
| Administration | Executive | European Commission | Federal Government | Federal Government | Flemish Government | Flemish Government | Provincial Executive | Provincial Executive | Provincial Executive | Provincial Executive | Mayor |
| Administration | Elected body | European Parliament | Chamber of Representatives | Flemish Parliament | Flemish Parliament | Flemish Parliament | Provincial Council | Provincial Council | Provincial Council | Provincial Council | Municipal Council |
| Electoral area | Electoral area | Dutch-speaking electoral college | Limburg | Limburg | Limburg | Limburg | Hasselt-Tongeren-Maaseik | Maaseik | Neerpelt | Neerpelt | Lommel |
| Elections | Elections | Europe | Federal | Federal | Regional | Regional | Provincial | Provincial | Provincial | Provincial | Municipal |

### List of mayors of Lommel

* 1808 – 1813: Joannes Aerts, Catholic
* 1813 – 1847: William Karel Koek Court, Catholic
* 1847 – 1857: Jan Daels, Catholic
* 1857 – 1861: Jan Van Leemput, Catholic
* 1861 – 1863: Henry Alen, Catholic
* 1863 – 1872: Peter Slegers, Catholic
* 1872 – 1879: Peter Stevens, Catholic
* 1879 – 1885: Jan Alen, Catholic
* 1885 – 1890: Jan Vanden Boer, Catholic
* 1891 – 1904: Peter Senders, Catholic
* 1904 – 1921: François Van Ham, Catholic
* 1921 – 1923: John Bouly, Catholic
* 1924 – 1927: Peter Joosten, Catholic
* 1927 – 1941: Joseph Tournier, liberal Catholics
* 1941 – 1944: Peter Luykx, Flemish nationalist
* 1944 – 1945: Joseph Tournier, liberal Catholics
* 1945 – 1958: Henri Van Reempts, Catholic
* 1959 – 1979: René Verhoeven, Catholic
* 1979 – 1988: Staff Matthijs, Catholic
* 1989 – 2006: Louis Vanvelthoven, socialist
* 2007 – 2018: Peter Vanvelthoven, socialist
* 2019–present: Bob Nijs, Catholic

### Results municipal elections since 1976

| Partij | 10-10-1976 | 10-10-1976 | 10-10-1982 | 10-10-1982 | 9-10-1988 | 9-10-1988 | 9-10-1994 | 9-10-1994 | 8-10-2000 | 8-10-2000 | 8-10-2006 | 8-10-2006 | 14-10-2012 | 14-10-2012 |
| Stemmen / Zetels | % | 27 | % | 29 | % | 29 | % | 29 | % | 31 | % | 31 | % | 31 |
| CVP$^1$/CD&V$^2$ | 49,18$^1$ | 14 | 38,03$^1$ | 13 | 33,22$^1$ | 11 | 26,79$^1$ | 9 | 25,24$^1$ | 9 | - | | 19,68$^2$ | 7 |
| CD&V+N-VA | - | | - | | - | | - | | - | | 28,55 | 9 | - | |
| VU$^1$/VU&ID$^2$ | 9,72$^1$ | 2 | 10,96$^1$ | 3 | 9,08$^1$ | 2 | - | | 3,73$^2$ | 0 | - | | - | |
| N-VA | - | | - | | - | | - | | - | | - | | 17,20 | 6 |
| PVV$^1$/VLD$^2$/VLD-VIVANT$^3$/Open Vld$^4$ | 9,56$^1$ | 2 | 6,55$^1$ | 1 | 11,56$^1$ | 3 | 13,18$^2$ | 3 | 12,69$^2$ | 4 | 10,90$^3$ | 3 | 9,29$^4$ | 2 |
| SP | 31,55 | 9 | 37,57 | 12 | 39,51 | 13 | 46,21 | 16 | 47,75 | 17 | - | | - | |
| sp.a-spirit | - | | - | | - | | - | | - | | 42,44 | 15 | - | |
| Burgemeester | - | | - | | - | | - | | - | | - | | 40,33 | 15 |
| AGALEV$^1$/Groen$^2$ | - | | - | | 3,2$^1$ | 0 | - | | - | | - | | 4,34$^2$ | 0 |
| PVDA | - | | 4,55 | 0 | 3,44 | 0 | 4,11 | 0 | - | | - | | - | |
| Vlaams Blok$^1$/Vlaams Belang$^2$ | - | | - | | - | | - | | 7,17$^1$ | 1 | 9,77$^2$ | 2 | 3,98$^2$ | 0 |
| LGB | - | | 2,34 | 0 | - | | - | | - | | - | | - | |
| BOOS | - | | - | | - | | 7,86 | 1 | - | | - | | - | |
| HOOP | - | | - | | - | | 1,85 | 0 | - | | - | | - | |
| LEL | - | | - | | - | | - | | 3,42 | 0 | - | | - | |
| AKTIEF | - | | - | | - | | - | | - | | 8,33 | 2 | 5,19 | 1 |
| Totaal stemmen | 14873 | 14873 | 16710 | 16710 | 18306 | 18306 | 19495 | 19495 | 20598 | 20598 | 20452 | 20452 | 21465 | 21465 |
| Opkomst % | | | | | 97,07 | 97,07 | 95,9 | 95,9 | 95,32 | 95,32 | 95,71 | 95,71 | 93,70 | 93,70 |
| Blanco en ongeldig % | 3,68 | 3,68 | 4,84 | 4,84 | 4,23 | 4,23 | 4,41 | 4,41 | 3,71 | 3,71 | 4,2 | 4,2 | 2,47 | 2,47 |

## Sporting events

Since 2017 the European Open a Snooker ranking tournament of the World Snooker Tour took place in Lommel.
Lommel is home to the Belgian Motocross Grand Prix, part of the Motocross World Championship. The track at Lommel is among the most famous in the motocross world and is known for its deep and unforgiving sand surface. Notable motocross racers such as Jeffrey Herlings and Ryan Villopoto have said that Lommel is the most physically demanding motocross track to ride in the world, and many top European motocross riders live in or around the city to hone their skills at the track.

## Notable people

* Kevin Hulsmans, road bicycle racer
* Peter Luykx, federal representative
* Peter Maes, former footballer, coach of Sporting Lokeren
* Roy Meeus (born 1989), professional footballer
* Wim Mennes, footballer
* Pieter Mertens, road bicycle racer
* Steve Ramon, motocross world champion
* Kathleen Smet, triathlete
* Dirk Swartenbroekx, DJ Buscemi
* Johan Vansummeren, road bicycle racer
* Marcel Vanthilt, musician, TV presenter
* Louis Vanvelthoven, honorary-mayor, former chairman of the Flemish Parliament
* Peter Vanvelthoven, mayor, former Belgian Minister for Employment and Informatisation
* Steven Van Broeckhoven, windsurfer, two-time champion on the European Freestyle Pro Tour
* Stefano Marzo, footballer