Elections 2024: Cordon sanitaire broken for second time as Vlaams Belang joins local council
A municipal council in West Flanders has become the second to break the political cordon sanitaire and establish a coalition involving the far-right Vlaams Belang.
At a press conference on Saturday afternoon, the city list Stip+ and Vlaams Belang announced that they were joining forces following the local elections earlier this month. More than 100 people gathered in the town to protest against the move.
The cordon sanitaire against Vlaams Blok, the precursor of Vlaams Belang, was created in 1989 by the other Flemish parties of the time. Vlaams Blok then secured 17.7 per cent of the votes in the municipal elections in Antwerp but the cordon meant the other parties would not negotiate or enter into coalitions or agreements with the party.
It was broken for the first time last week in Ranst, in Antwerp province, when a coalition was agreed between the local list PIT, Vrij Ranst and Vlaams Belang. In Ninove, Forza Ninove – part of Vlaams Belang – gained an absolute majority and will rule without the need for a coalition.
"Vlaams Belang was not our first choice, but it was the only choice"
Incoming mayor Kurt Grymonprez briefly addressed protestors in Izegem, saying talks had been held with all parties based on local priorities, regardless of national politics.
“We did not proceed overnight. Our first choices were CD&V and Vooruit-Groen,” he said. “Vlaams Belang was not our first choice, but it was the only choice.”
On Monday, Stip+ would have lost the right of initiative to form a council as the party with the most votes, and the right would have passed to the second-placed party.
The two Open VLD members of Stip+ in Izegem have informed national party leader Eva De Bleeker that they will leave the party.
In the run-up to the presentation of the coalition, De Bleeker warned against breaking the cordon sanitaire. “Our line is clear: anyone who concludes a coalition with Vlaams Belang cannot be a member of Open VLD,” she said on X. “That was so in the past and it remains so. In any municipality or level of government.”
#FlandersNewsService | Protesters in front of a press conference to present the new deal for the municipal government in Izegem, West Flanders, 26 October 2024 © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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