From "I know everyone personally” to “complete disinterest”: Mayors of municipalities with highest and lowest turnout react

The Mayor of Eeklo Luc Vandevelde (Local list) told VRT News that "Maybe people in Eeklo are completely disinterested in local politics”. The Mayor of Mesen Sandy Evrard says that he is pleased that so many people in his town turned out to vote”.

It was of course predictable that given that turning up to vote was no longer mandatory the percentage of people voting would fall. However, the fact that so many people didn’t bother voting came as a surprise to some.

Prior to the election experts had predicted turnout of between 70% and 80%. However, it was much lower with an average of 63.6% of those registered to vote actually doing so. In almost all city and large town turnout was lower still. For example, in Ostend, Antwerp, Hasselt and Aalst turnout was around 60%.

At 53.7% turnout was lowest in the East Flemish town of Eeklo. Meanwhile, in the East Flemish town of Mesen turnout was 81.7%.

The incumbent Mayor of Eeklo Luc Vandevelde is disappointed with the turnout figures. "During the campaign we noticed that people had doubts as to whether they were going to vote. We engaged with them and I had the feeling that they would go and vote. I had hoped that turnout would be 70%, but the figure is much lower”.

Mr Vandervelde doesn’t have an explanation for the low turnout in his town.

"The figure really surprises me. I didn’t have the feeling that the people of Eeklo were completely disinterested in local politics. Maybe people were satisfied with what we have done during the past few years and that is why they stayed away. Or may there is complete disinterest in local politics”.

Mr Vandervelde’s list didn’t perform as well as he had hoped. “I don’t know if the result would have been different if it had still been mandatory to go and vote. But the result is what it is, and we have to accept it”.

It’s a very different story in Flanders’ smallest town Mesen. There 81.7% of those eligible to vote did so of whom 86% voted for Mayor Sandy Evrard’s MLM list.

"I have been politically active for 30 years and have been Mayor for 23 years. I know everyone and during the campaign visited almost everyone in the town”.

"In the first instance I stressed the importance of voting and asked everyone to read our manifesto that was made to measure. We listerned to people’s needs. I make a point of always being available on the telephone and people know that”.