Cordon sanitaire broken as Vlaams Belang forms coalitions in Izegem and Brecht
Far-right party Vlaams Belang has formed a coalition with the local party STIP+ on the municipal council of Izegem, West Flanders, the parties confirmed on Tuesday.
The two parties had already reached an agreement, but STIP+ withdrew from the coalition after several members of the party received threats. Vlaams Belang had the right of initiative until Tuesday and managed to form a coalition with STIP+, breaking the cordon sanitaire that had previously kept Vlaams Belang out of any government.
"It is completely unacceptable that members of our party or any other party are bombarded with all kinds of messages," said STIP+ leader Kurt Grymonprez. “We should never accept something like that in a democracy. Restoring calm was long overdue, but we got there.”
Local positions
Despite initial hesitations, Grymonprez justified the decision to proceed with Vlaams Belang. "The choice of Vlaams Belang was not obvious," he said. “But only with Vlaams Belang did the discussions ultimately move toward a supported and positive vision for Izegem. Their local positions closely align with ours, and a stable and sustainable relationship of trust has been built in recent weeks.”
The coalition’s new management team promises innovation and transparency under a revamped board of aldermen. Grymonprez called for constructive engagement: “Feel free to be strict, but also fair. Our door will always be open to criticism. We are working in the interest of Izegem and its people.”
"The undemocratic cordon only lives in the minds of out-of-touch party leaders and journalists. Almost 6 out of 10 Flemish people think it is only logical that our party participates in government. This trend cannot be stopped,"
Tom Van Grieken
In Brecht, Vlaams Belang's collaboration with the local list nu2960, made up of members from CD&V, Open VLD and Vooruit, has drawn sharp criticism. Vooruit, a progressive party, vehemently opposed the move.
"The Vooruit department of Brecht has taken note with great concern and dismay of the decision of the nu2960 list to join forces with Vlaams Belang," said Walter Van Puymbroeck, leader of Vooruit Brecht, in a statement on Tuesday.
The controversy centres on Jef Verschueren, a member of Vooruit who was elected on the nu2960 list. Van Puymbroeck warned that Verschueren would face immediate expulsion if he signed the government agreement with Vlaams Belang.
"Vlaams Belang is in every way the opposite of what Vooruit Brecht fights for every day"
"Vooruit Brecht will never, ever join forces with the extreme right. Vlaams Belang is in every way the opposite of what Vooruit Brecht fights for every day: a warm, friendly and supportive municipality," Van Puymbroeck asserted.
'Pragmatic step'
These developments have resulted in the erosion of the cordon sanitaire, a political practice established to isolate Vlaams Belang from governance. While Vlaams Belang has gained significant local support in recent elections, their inclusion in coalitions has ignited debates about the principles of collaboration in Belgian politics.
In Izegem, STIP+ defended their decision as a pragmatic step toward change. "We know we are stuck with a certain legacy from the previous administration. But we are doing our best in the interest of Izegem," Grymonprez said.
In Brecht, however, the decision by nu2960 has exposed fissures within coalition members, particularly Vooruit, whose leadership reaffirmed their opposition to Vlaams Belang's policies.
#FlandersNewsService | Members of Vlaams Belang and STIP+ at a protest "against intimidation" in Izegem on 30 October 2024 © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS
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