Flemish home affairs minister Bart Somers (liberal) announced he was resigning yesterday. The minister says he wants to concentrate on his role as Mayor of Mechelen (Antwerp Province). The news came very much as a surprise.
Posting on X Mr Somers says a lot of consideration had gone into the decision. The choice was chiefly made out of love for his city: “For me Mechelen comes in first place” he said, defending his choice and explaining it would offer opportunities for new faces and for his party to rejuvenate.
Mr Somers is a Flemish liberal heavyweight. He serves as Flemish home minister, minister of local government, integration and equal opportunities as well as the liberals' deputy premier in the Flemish government. He is the second leading liberal to resign in recent weeks and decide to concentrate on local politics ahead of next year’s federal, regional and local elections. Earlier Mr Van Quickenborne, the then justice minister resigned after bungling came to light in connection with shooting of Swedish football fans in Brussels.
The news of Somers's resignation even came as a surprise to VRT’s political editor Ivan De Vadder: “I never imagined he would resign only months before the election. A party opting for renewal is one thing, but a party that throws its big beasts that pile up the votes overboard is something completely different. It’s a remarkable move and what a gamble”.
Belgian premier Alexander De Croo, a fellow Flemish liberal, described Somers as a "magnificent minister". Flemish premier Jan Jambon (nationalist) regrets Somers’s decision saying it was great to work with him: "We got on well both at a professional and personal level”.
Flemish nationalist leader Bart De Wever is not amused: “This is bad timing. A premier governs together with his deputies. It couldn’t have been worse timing!”
On Tuesday Mr Somers wasted no time unveiling “For Mechelen”, the new name of the list of liberals, greens and independents that he will head in the local elections. Liberals and greens have run the Antwerp town since 2001 gaining an absolute majority in seats on the local council last time round.