Elections 2024: Federal police to investigate possible voting fraud in Ninove
The federal police will conduct an investigation into possible electoral fraud in the municipal elections in Ninove, East Flanders. Forza Ninove, the local branch of far-right party Vlaams Belang, obtained an absolute majority and its leader Guy D’haeseleer is set to become Vlaams Belang’s first-ever mayor. However, there are allegations about the use of proxy votes.
The public prosecutor's office was informed on Sunday of possible electoral fraud and launched an investigation. The prosecutor's office could not confirm which party it related to and whether proxies for Forza Ninove would be investigated.
The investigation was put in the hands of the East Flanders federal judicial police, and not the local police of Ninove, to ensure its independence.
The extent of the possible fraud is still under investigation, but it involves an organised form of electoral fraud. There are specific suspects who will be questioned soon. The police and the judicial authorities want to move forward with the investigation quickly because clarity is needed before the mayors are sworn in in December.
D'haeseleer denied that proxies were recruited by Forza Ninove. “The proxies we received were from people who contacted us spontaneously, who did not want their vote to be lost and asked to collect their proxy,” he said. “That happens at all parties. But we did not go door to door to collect proxies. I do know of certain parties that have done so in rest homes. But I am not going to elaborate on that. I am going to see how the investigation goes.”
Recruiting proxies in elections is punishable and can lead to a prison sentence of eight days to a month and/or a fine.
#FlandersNewsService | Forza Ninove's leader Guy D’haeseleer celebrates on the evening of the local elections, 13 October 2024 © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
Related news
