Deerlijk
Municipality in Flemish Community, Belgium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Deerlijk (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈdeːrlək] ⓘ; West Flemish: Deirlyk) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality only comprises the town of Deerlijk proper. On January 1, 2006, Deerlijk had a total population of 11,310. The total area is 16.82 km² which gives a population density of 673 inhabitants per km².
Deerlijk
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 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 Location of Deerlijk in West-Flanders | |
 Interactive map of Deerlijk | |
  Deerlijk Location in Belgium | |
| Coordinates: 50°51′N 03°21′E | |
| Country | Belgium |
| Community | Flemish Community |
| Region | Flemish Region |
| Province | West Flanders |
| Arrondissement | Kortrijk |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Claude Croes (CD&V) |
| • Governing parties | CD&V, Open Vld |
| Area | |
• Total | 16.97 km2 (6.55 sq mi) |
| Population (2018-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 11,796 |
| • Density | 695.1/km2 (1,800/sq mi) |
| Postal codes | 8540 |
| NIS code | 34009 |
| Area codes | 056 |
| Website | www.deerlijk.be |
Politics
In February 2026, mayor Louis Vanderbeken confirmed that Deerlijk would refuse to participate in the Flemish government's voluntary municipal merger plan, stating that the municipality is financially self-sufficient and prefers targeted inter-municipal cooperation over centralization.[2]
In June 2026, the municipality joined forces with neighboring Harelbeke and Lendelede to legally challenge the environmental permits for the Ventilus high-voltage grid project, citing health concerns, a lack of financial compensation for affected residents along existing lines, and insufficient research into underground alternatives.[3]
