King Philippe pardons five people from more than 600 requests

King Philippe granted royal pardons on five occasions in 2025, out of 669 requests submitted, newly released figures reveal.

Last year’s number of pardons was half as many as the 10 granted in 2024, according to figures from Belgium's justice ministry.

The number of pardons tends to fluctuate slightly from year to year, with the King commuting sentences on the recommendation of the justice minister.

A pardon can only be granted in exceptional circumstances, such as when new evidence comes to light before or after a conviction. This concerns, for example, the family situation, the professional situation, or the state of health of the convicted person or members of their family.

Last year, 669 Belgians applied for a pardon, compared to 574 applications in 2024, 591 in 2023 and 1,084 in 2022.

One potential reason for the post-2022 decline is that the possibility of applying for a pardon is no longer explicitly mentioned on fine payment notices because too many inadmissible claims were submitted.

Half of the requests concern fines and confiscations, while a third relate to prison sentences. The other requests relate mostly to licence withdrawals.