The far-right party Vlaams Belang has lodged a complaint against those that allegedly intimidated councilors from the local STiP+ list in the West Flemish town of Izegem. STiP+ became the largest group on Izegem Council at the recent municipal elections. The party had planned to form a coalition with Vlaams Belang but pull out at the last minute because it said that its councilors had been the target of threats. If the coalition had gone ahead Izegem would have become the second municipality in Flanders, after Ranst in Antwerp Province, in which another party had entered into coalition with Vlaams Belang.
Vlaams Belang lodges complaint against alleged intimidation of councilors from STiP+ list in Izegem
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Under the conditions of the so-called “cordon sanitaire” the national parties in Flanders agreed more than 3 decades ago not to enter into coalitions with parties of the far-right. In Ranst the members of the Christian democrat and liberal parties that entered into a coalition with Vlaams Belang were immediately expelled from their respective parties.
In Izegem the coalition agreement didn’t go through as several elected councilors from the STiP+ group refused to sign it as they said that they had been the victim of intimidation. Consequently, the right to try and form a new municipal coalition passed to the second biggest party on the council, the party of the incumbent mayor of Izegem Bert Maertens of the Flemish nationalist N-VA.
On Tuesday the Izegem branch of Vlaams Belang announced that it had lodged a complaint against persons unknown for “intimidation and threats of physical violence towards members of the local party STiP+”.
Sam Weyts headed Vlaams Belang’s list at the recent municipal elections in Izegem. He told VRT News that " What has occurred here is the result of stoking people up against Vlaams Belang. This should not only be condemned in the strongest terms by all those that hold democracy dear, but there also should be an investigation into the alleged intimidation”.
Vlaams Belang plans to stage a demonstration in Izegem on Wednesday.