People passing by Antwerp Central Station will be able to get a free haircut on Tuesday morning. The outgoing Flemish Government has opened a pop-up hair salon, aiming to encourage people to vote in the municipal elections on 13 October.
While turning up to vote will no longer be mandatory in Flanders, the Flemish authorities still want as many people as possible to exercise their right to participate in local democracy. "Don't just make your voice heard at the hairdresser's, but also in the voting booth."
In Antwerp Central Station, the hairdressers underline the impact of going out and voting, instead of just speaking about politics while getting your hair done.
"People often talk about local politics at the hairdresser's, at the butcher's, at the bar: about the importance of a new bus stop, for example," said organiser Adel Mouchalleh of the Flemish Domestic Administration Agency. "We want to remind them that they can have an impact on their surroundings by voting. They should do more than just talk about it."
The free hair salon will be at Antwerp Central Station until 12:00 on Tuesday. Everyone is welcome.
