The Flemish municipality of Ninove, led by Guy D’haeseleer from Vlaams Belang, has secured a majority of the seats. However, the municipality is currently under investigation for electoral fraud.
The list Forza Ninove garnered 47.45% of the votes, a 7.4 percentage point increase from its previous performance, giving it control in this town of approximately 40,000 residents.
Positief Ninove, the list headed by liberal Mayor Tania De Jonge and supported by independents and Christian Democrats, followed with 30.8%.
The Vooruit-Groen coalition secured third place with 14.9%, while N-VA obtained 6.9%. Only four lists competed in Ninove.
Nothing now stands in the way of Guy D’haeseleer becoming the first Vlaams Belang mayor in Flanders. With an absolute majority, the far-right local politician has overcome Belgium's cordon sanitaire on the far-right.
Electoral fraud
The East Flanders Public Prosecutor's Office has been informed of possible electoral fraud in the elections in the Flemish municipality of Ninove, and open an investigation on Sunday.
"Within the framework of the investigation, no further information can be communicated," Public Prosecutor's spokesperson Lisa De Wilde told Belga News Agency. She could not confirm any details and could not say which party would be involved in the fraud.
Forza Ninove supporters celebrate on Sunday, 13 October 2024. Credit: Belga
According to a reliable source, the alleged fraud was established at the polling stations themselves on Sunday. The extent is still under investigation, but it was an organised form of electoral fraud. Suspects are in the picture but have yet to be questioned.
D'haeseleer denies
The list leader of the socialist green Vooruit-GROEN joint list, Stijn Vermassen, reportedly said that stories were circulating about Forza Ninove (the local far-right Vlaams Belang list) recruiting proxy votes among the elderly population. Recruiting proxies in elections is punishable and can lead to a prison sentence of eight days to a month and/or a fine.
Even though he "hesitated," Vermassen did not file a complaint. The list leader for Forza Ninove, Guy D'haeseleer, denies these allegations: "absolutely no proxies were recruited."
