The outgoing mayor of Ninove, Tania De Jonge, and her "Positief Ninove" list will not file an appeal with the Electoral Disputes Council regarding the suspected misuse of proxy votes, Belga reports.
Hundreds of proxy votes are believed to have been improperly solicited in this East Flanders city, where the far-right "Forza Ninove" list won an absolute majority with 18 out of 35 seats.
On 22 October, Flemish Minister of Home Affairs Hilde Crevits (CD&V) announced in the Flemish Parliament that the Justice Department was investigating proxy votes in four Flemish municipalities, including Ninove.
This voting method allows individuals who are unavailable on election day (due to work, illness, or being abroad) to vote through a previously designated person.
Ninove’s proxy votes have drawn significant media attention due to the far-right list’s electoral breakthrough. Over 1,600 votes, or 7% of the total, were cast by proxy.
Filing a complaint with the Electoral Disputes Council could prevent the installation meeting of the municipal council.
Outgoing mayor Tania De Jonge has previously said that she would only pursue legal action if it could impact the election results.
The Electoral Disputes Commission handles objections related to the administrative organisation of local elections, including vote counts and electoral expenses. Illegal solicitation of proxy votes, which caused upheaval in several Flemish municipalities, falls mainly under judicial jurisdiction.
The general prosecutor has stated that the investigation is ongoing but cannot provide further details at this stage.
