The port city of Antwerp, Flanders’ largest city, is currently governed by a Flemish nationalist, socialist and liberal coalition with Flemish nationalist leader Bart De Wever as mayor. In June’s Flemish elections the far-left Labour Party PVDA took a massive 22.5% of the votes. It was an historic result with the far-left only points behind Mr De Wever’s Flemish nationalist N-VA that polled 25.5%.
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Local elections: far-left hopeful of taking reins of power in Antwerp
Colin Clapson
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PVDA’s Jos D'Haese now says he is hopeful that his party can overtake the N-VA in Antwerp’
Mr Jos D'Haese believes there are two choices in the upcoming municipal elections in the city: ‘Either a continuation of the N-VA policies of the past 12 years, or a different course with PVDA.’
In the polls, PVDA is still 2.5 to 3 percent behind Mr De Wever's N-VA.
Jos D'Haese: ‘But I notice everywhere I go that there is real enthusiasm to ensure different policies in Antwerp. I am hopeful that we can become bigger than Bart De Wever's N-VA and set up a progressive coalition.’
‘Together with (Flemish ecologist) Groen and with (Flemish socialist) Vooruit, the PVDA polled 46 per cent in Antwerp in the previous elections. That's still just short of a majority, but close: the latest poll confirms that. That means we have to find about 10,000 votes in the last week and a half that is left to make that progressive majority possible.’