Antwerp mayor Bart De Wever's Flemish nationalist N-VA are the big winners of the municipal elections in the northern port city. N-VA polled 37.2 per cent of the vote. Communist PVDA is Antwerp’s second party with 20.2 per cent. Jos D'Haese's list has increased its share of the vote by 11.5 percentage points in comparison with the previous local elections.
Socialist Vooruit is the third party with 12.9 per cent. Ecologist groen (10.7 per cent), far-right Vlaams Belang (10.6 per cent) and Christian democrat CD&V (3.4 per cent) all got councillors elected. Liberal Open VLD dropped to 2.3 per cent and failed to land a single seat.
In terms of seats, Mr De Wever has a majority with Vooruit. Greens, far-right Vlaams Belang and Communist PVDA could give N-VA a majority too, but that would create more political difficulties.
Turnout was low: 58.6 per cent.
Jubilant Bart De Wever says "Antwerp has coloured yellow and gold"
In his victory speech following the announcement of the results of Sunday’s local elections, a jubilant Mayor of Antwerp Bart De Wever (nationalist) said “Roma victrix. Rome has won”. With the latest in what has become a long serious of Latin phrases used at the start of speeches made after election results have been announced Mr De Wever could hardly conceal his joy “Freedom has triumphed, prosperity has triumphed. Antwerp has coloured yellow and gold. We, dear friends, are the team for this city”.
"The polls had written us off, but we have done it for the third time in succession we are the biggest party. Head and shoulders above the rest”.
"This is a brilliant result, but we should remain modest”, Mr De Wever said. He added that Antwerp still faces a lot of challenges particularly with regard to public transport and affordable housing.