Some 30 municipalities in Flanders will see the right to initiate negotiations for a majority coalition pass from the first-placed list to the second-placed list on Tuesday, according to a Belga count.
This new rule in Flanders’ local elections allows the list with the most votes to try forming a majority coalition within 15 days. If unsuccessful, the right moves to the second-placed list.
Flanders has 300 towns and municipalities. As of Monday evening, 28 still had no announced majority agreements, including major cities like Antwerp, Ghent, Kortrijk, and Sint-Niklaas.
In Antwerp, led by Bart De Wever (N-VA), negotiations are ongoing exclusively with Vooruit. Jos D’Haese, leader of the PTB (PVDA), has declined to take over, giving Vooruit (the third-placed list) the initiative. Talks with the N-VA can therefore continue.
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In Ghent, an unexpected turn occurred on Sunday evening when Vooruit rejected a proposed coalition with the N-VA and Voor Gent, the list of outgoing mayor Mathias De Clercq (Open Vld). The initiative now passes to Groen.
In Kortrijk and Sint-Niklaas, no agreements are yet in sight. Ruth Vandenberghe, leader of a list combining liberals and Christian Democrats, sought a coalition only with the N-VA, but they want to include Vooruit. The right to initiate will pass to the N-VA on Tuesday. In Sint-Niklaas, the N-VA is also negotiating exclusively with Vooruit, but talks are progressing slowly.
