Bart Dhondt named leader of Flemish green party
Bart Dhondt, a former Brussels councillor, has been elected as the new leader of Flemish green party Groen, winning 59.1 per cent of the votes in the party’s leadership race.
Dhondt defeated Bright Adiyia, a young candidate from Hasselt, in the second round of voting. He hopes to revitalise the party by focusing on pride in its green vision and attracting leftist voters ahead of the next elections.
Dhondt, from Ostend, has been a member of Groen since 2006 and began his political career at local level. Although he did not secure a municipal council seat in his hometown at the time, he made an impression and moved to Brussels, where he worked behind the scenes as an advisor for the party in the federal parliament and later as a councillor for mobility.
He is known for implementing the Good Move plan, which reduced car traffic in Brussels’ city centre by one-fifth within a year. It earned him recognition among party members as an effective administrator.
Daunting challenge
However, he is relatively new to national politics. This could be a challenge: he is assuming a role that requires leadership, media presence and ideological strategy. Following the party’s electoral losses in June, he faces the daunting task of rebuilding Groen’s image.
Dhondt has vowed to position Groen as “the logical progressive choice” by 2029, aiming to win back voters from parties like left-wing Vooruit and Christian democratic CD&V. To do so, he wants to showcase the party’s achievements at a local level. “Where we govern, we improve lives,” he told VRT.
#FlandersNewsService | Bart Dhont © BELGA PHOTO HATIM KAGHAT
Related news
