Elections 2024: Antwerp politicians grilled during youth debate

On Thursday, around 1,000 young people gathered at Antwerp’s Stadsschouwburg for the A1000 youth summit, an event focused on engaging youth with politics and democracy. The event culminated in a lively debate between political leaders ahead of the upcoming municipal elections.

Among the participants was Antwerp’s incumbent mayor and N-VA party leader Bart De Wever. This marked his second appearance at a municipal election debate, following an earlier event hosted by Voka. His main rival, Jos D’Haese from the PVDA party, was also present, but no direct debate occurred between the two candidates.

The youth questioned the political leaders on issues including the headscarf ban, school dropout rates, urban space management, mobility, and discrimination in housing and employment. D’Haese’s positions seemed to resonate with the crowd, though he faced criticism for relying heavily on social media, which studies have linked to declining mental health among young people.

De Wever, too, faced criticism throughout the debate. His defending of the police’s use of profiling during identity checks in particular drew jeers from the audience. “Profiling is one of the hardest tasks for the police to handle correctly,” he argued. “When searching for suspects after a crime, they are typically not looking for Swedish girls. However, I understand some young people feel unfairly targeted. These checks must be carried out with respect and fairness.”

The event, organised as part of the A1000 initiative, aimed to give Antwerp’s youth a platform to express their views ahead of the municipal elections on 13 October. The debate featured party leaders from various factions, providing young participants a chance to hold their city’s decision-makers accountable for their policies and promises.

^{#FlandersNewsService | N-VA party leader and Antwerp major Bart De Wever © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK}