Belgian Politics & Elections: Federal, regional & EP elections on June 9, 2024

[LAKISYLVANIA]

I posted about this on discord.

The drug wars in Antwerp are now a hot item.

During a shooting a few days ago one minor girl was killed (likely relative to people in drug business). The violence has increased, and almost every day there are shootings, grenade attacks, threats. Our secretary of justice is also in a safehouse after receiving death threats from drug lords.

More calls have been made to stop the war on drugs and to  legalize cocain [which is the option I prefer], because it being illegal is exactly the reason why cocain is so lucrative, while cocain prices were unaffected by inflation indicating that despite more cocain being intercepted, more cocain also finds it way into the European mainland, given the demand has increased.

Could ‘Coke Made in Belgium’ stop drug violence?

Antwerp drug wars: 11-year-old girl dies in shooting

Antwerp Mayor: “Drugs war is in progress”

[LAKISYLVANIA]

https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2023/01/15/van-quickenborne-tot-1000-euro-boetes-voor-betrapt-druggebruike/

Makes me furious.

First they want to legalize pot in their platform, now giving fines to cocain users of 1000 euros, and that's coming from a liberal's mouth. Idiotic politicians.

The bad guys are the ones who deal, not the ones who buy the drugs.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

New  state reform for Flanders, they'll add 15 regions.

I live in South-West Flanders or Zuid-West Vlaanderen. And in the past only lived here or in Vlaamse Ardennen / Flemish Ardennes.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

New  state reform for Flanders, they'll add 15 regions.

I live in South-West Flanders or Zuid-West Vlaanderen. And in the past only lived here or in Vlaamse Ardennen / Flemish Ardennes.

And what exactly will these regions add? Seems insane when you already have the federal level, the Flemish level, the provinces, and the municipalities.

I'm not sure what they'll add, some other people have the same concerns as you have. But i guess they are minor unimportant things implemented for promoting regions, culture, or cooperation with for example police forces etc.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Yeah that summarizes it.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Its like a right winger would say

WE MUST FIGHT AGAINST WOKE RADICALS LIKE PUTIN

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Dries Van Langenhove announced he will resign from parliament. He was the Vlaams Belang spokesman on asylum and immigration and says the media boycott against him as a person hampered VB's potential to raise attention for the party's stance on this crucial issue. DVL's exit removes one of the main arguments for the N-VA against cooperation with VB after 2024. They still won't do it, but the obligatory ritual dance may now take a few more additional weeks.

De Wever was strong recently about impose the autonomy of Flanders "extralegally".
and how to impose it without the voices of the vb?  
but in the end, it's mathematical.

He's going to do it by ensuring federal structures no longer work properly. So essentially the federalised competences will be regionalised within the Federal ministry. He is right in pointing out this happened with culture and tourism before the state reforms handed it to the Communities.
De Wever is smart, he won't lose his marbles like the Catalans did when the Flemish are an actual majority.
The plan is always to ensure that a high VB score means the Vivaldi + Défi/cdH block has to accept at the very least N-VA in federal government.
His masterplan is a majority in the Brussels Flemish-speaking college and blocking the Brussels institutions to ensure the Francophones have much less footing in dictating what stays a federal competence and what doesn't.

The Francophone parties should call his bluff and ask for a double your money or nothing referendum with plebscites in the 7 majority speaking French communes. Checkmate to any people considering an "extralegal" way for Flanders to have its cake and eat it. But the Francophone parties won't do that, because what matters to them is mandates, ministerial cars, faux-Belgicist sentiment and their little sectoral battles.

I've made my feelings clear - I actually think we should at least try confederalism with certain very strong federal structures like the military. It is a much preferable outcome to the Vivaldist concoction. More important than ANY institutional reform though is removing the complacency of our political class and ensuring new parties are given equal footing in terms of media exposure, electoral system benefits them à la Netherlands, and so on. Once you remove the complacency of the political class, the corruption and kakonomical public services should subside.

S019 asked me what you meant, so correct me if i'm wrong

I think what you mean is that the Flemish nationalist (N-VA) deliberately try to make federal systems dysfunctional so that they can claim that the federal system doesn't work and that we need to go independent or have more autonomy, which in turn would allow them to pass more legislation given the dutch-speaking part is more conservative.

And secondly Zinneke calls the more centrist and Belgicist parties more corrupt or too occupied with theirselves and the status quo what makes them incapable of doing something about it, including infighting in the parties and among the centrist parties, in particular also because we have way too many political parties in the government who all need visibility and at times are fighting for their future. Ones dead, can be someones bread.

Party reform that would create a more and better landscape for new parties to rise up definitely, though the biggest gap currently is the Walloon right, which MR is trying to cover by being a big tent party on the right (being both liberal conservative or globalist liberal, but also increasingly trying to have a more Trumpist message), because there's simply no right wing opposition in french speaking Belgium. They are the ones that cover it.

Several small irrelevant right wing parties have been trying to get relevant, but all attempts so far have failed, a party that tried to mirror Le Pen failed, a party that tried to mirror themselves more to Vlaams Belang failed, a party that tried to be more right wing populist failed, a right wing split party from MR also failed. There simply is not much of a base, and voting right wing is seen as voting for Flanders or for splitting Belgium.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

New polls

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Oh he definitelly has a referred a lot to Czechoslovakia as an ideal model for peaceful secession. I have heard that quite often on Flemish television.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

https://twitter.com/demorgen/status/1640647441618960384

Former liberal chairwoman. Translated:

‘The BBB has eaten away at the extreme right in the Netherlands. People are fed up with conspiracy theorists and Putin worshipers.”

LOL, this is so cringe

Shes framing the victory of agrarians in Netherlands as a victory for her party and ideology

Shes a LIBERAL lol

why is she framing the victory of BBB as a liberal victory

Is this liberal?



She frames the victory of this party as the end of the far right.

What is Flemish politics nowadays:
1. party A claims they're the Belgian counterpart of BBB in Netherlands
2. party B claims they're the Belgian counterpart of BBB in Netherlands
3. party C claims they're the Belgian counterpart of BBB in Netherlands
4. party D claims they're the Belgian counterpart of BBB in Netherlands
5. party E claims they're the Belgian counterpart of BBB in Netherlands
....
etc

It's ridicilous.

BBB literally rose out of protest with Dutch liberals over nitrogen regulations.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

https://twitter.com/EuropeElects/status/1642107296955154433

https://twitter.com/EuropeElects/status/1642107032693096448

[LAKISYLVANIA]

https://twitter.com/EuropeElects/status/1657303734852960256

https://twitter.com/EuropeElects/status/1657304183215734784

Good for us!

[LAKISYLVANIA]

The one after the other Flemish green politician are announcing they'll stop with national politics. Basically all of the well known national faces are ending their political careers, or chosing for local politics. Political experts think this is a result because of the bad polls and the anticipation that the Greens will lose badly in the upcoming elections. There is also a cap on how long a Green politician can take a seat in parliament, according to statute, however, politicians can ask for exceptions which is frequently done usually, but apparently not for this time.

The list so far includes:
Bjorn Rzoska
Kristof Calvo
Elisabeth Meuleman
An Moerenhout
Barbara Creemers
Juan Benjumea

The Greens - sitting in the government - have had to endure a lot of attacks, including the gaffes, the poor management and unlucky timing of having the Secretary of Energy Affairs (while energy prices were soaring) in the cabinet. Recently the transgender politician Petra De Sutter (secretary of postal affairs) also came under fire due to a postal affairs scandal).

On the French-speaking side, one month ago, Sarah Schlitz also announced that she would resign from the government as Secretary of State for Gender Equality, Equal Opportunity and Diversity after coming under fire by the right wing opposition.

Media have noticed that all politicians in the government who resigned after controversies have arisen were all without exceptions women. (Sec for budget Eva De Bleecker, Sec for diversity Sarah Schlitz, Sec for urban policy and development cooperation Meryame Kitir) while the ones under attack for stuff also have been woman (Secretary of Foreign Affairs Hadja Lahbib for a vacation trip to Crimea last summer and Secretary for postal affairs Petra De Sutter).

Tinne Van der Straeten (Green) - Minister of Energy - meanwhile has very low approval ratings because of criticism on her energy policy and questionable media appearances.

So far media are talking about "The Green Exodus", in part because of poor polling despite the tendency to overpoll in Belgian polls.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

If the PTB-PVDA ruins their one chance of government takeover by aligning with PS at any level, then they are done as a party. The cordone sanitare, along with the confederal nonsense, is the only thing making them popular as unifiers not tainted by the mafias.

Federal level is never gonna happen, at least not soon. Neither is Flemish level.

Walloon level, perhaps, but I think PS prefers Ecolo, Les Engages and maybe even MR over PTB.

Mayoral, it might happen but it did not happen last time (in Wallonia). In some occassions PTB was indeed afraid of getting tainted of governing in some cities, including the city Molenbeek which came to fame after the terrorist attacks of both Brussels and Paris were organized and prepared there (which is a good choice i think). Also, the quality of candidates aligning with PTB there might not be great.

It did happen in Borgerhout (a district in Antwerp) and Zelzate, but both are located in Flanders. And PVDA use these two areas to highlight competence of the party while governing.

PS will prevent coöperation with PTB because it weakens them or legitimates PTB as a left wing alternative. However they're losing the battle for the unions, especially the Flemish socdems seem to abandon the labor unions which PVDA is taking over right now.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

New poll for Belgium, showing Flanders here, i guess when Europe elects post an update i'll post it here as well.

Should be a record high for PVDA in Flanders and again up compared to last poll.

Should also be a record low (or at least since long) for Open VLD in Flanders.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

https://twitter.com/Nassreddin2002/status/1667220644344283161

https://twitter.com/EuropeElects/status/1667220835176726555

https://twitter.com/EuropeElects/status/1667220968526233603

[LAKISYLVANIA]

[LAKISYLVANIA]

This makes me happy

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Compared to last time the poll was held in Flanders, the movement & trend.

Drops for christian democrats, liberals and far right
Increases for marxists and socdems.
Status quo basically for greens and national conservatives.

Issues recently were corruption, pensions and the process of the death of a student during a student baptist event, which led to class justice allegiations by communists.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

May Day: Labour Party repeats call for millionaire’s tax

Parliament urges investigation into Sanda Dia case

Federal Secretary of State resigns after row about misuse of her personal logo

Socialist supremo sticks by proposal to limit unemployment benefit



Hedebouw (PVDA-PTB) is now the most popular politician in french-speaking Belgium.

https://twitter.com/EmbaCubaUS/status/1666466905727594497

https://twitter.com/hem_day/status/1639278595393609731

https://twitter.com/broderly/status/1654515855219126272

[LAKISYLVANIA]

https://twitter.com/SchelfhoutSven/status/1650452027724505088

Also, this was revealed PVDA who attacked all parties who were in parliament at the time (which was basically everyone), and they all voted for it.

A big reason for PVDAs surge in Flanders is this scandal a month ago.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

I read this in the newspaper, and i don't know how much of it is cherrypicking in trying to create the idea that the liberals are losing rapidly ground in their historic strongholds, but these people are upset by the lack of right wing policies pursued by Open VLD.

https://twitter.com/SchelfhoutSven/status/1650452027724505088

Icon Herman De Croo also has been caught in the previous scandal and was one of the people who gave himself a 20% spot of their pension and used that for instance to give everyone in a bar a free round (with their taxpayers money).

The strongest OVLD local chapter is thinking of changing their party name to a different name due to general toxicity associated with the liberal brand.

The article in english (and under paywall, but i read it in the paper version that my mom has)

Out and about in the blue bastion of Flanders: "I always voted VLD, but now: never again"

In the local headquarters of the party, no one calls themselves liberal, the liberal mayor is considering not going to vote under 'Open VLD', and only one party is talking about the tongues of the prime minister's baker: Vlaams Belang. Even in the blue bastion of Flanders, the liberals get the wind from the front.

Maybe the rural demographic shifts are more of a global thing, not just in the USA.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

There is panic in the national chapter as there was an emergency meeting. The general point of belief is: "we serve the Prime Minister, we took our responsability to govern the country, how are we being blamed for everything, we are doing a good job".

https://twitter.com/hem_day/status/1667444388992000002

As a result, they're not trying to distance themselves from the government they're leading

https://twitter.com/MetaJaunNews/status/1667845555458801664

[LAKISYLVANIA]

I used to not understand why VLD gets so many votes, but maybe people are finally understanding theirselves what my issues have been with this party for such a long time. Also i feel like "parties for freedom" or parties that emphasize freedom eventually abandon freedom in circumstances such as the covid pandemic where we still see damage from, on mental healthcare etc. They try to say that our economic issues aren't as bad as in rest of Europe, but really the only reason why that is the case is because some countries simply do it worse and because we were one of the least reliant nations within Europe on Russian gas.

With issues such as the outcome of the Sanda Dia lawsuit case with allegiations of class justice and the pension scandal to politicians of self-enrichment, its maybe natural that VLD is facing the consequences of these. I suppose that especially in their rural strongholds they have a steep decline of people moving to right wing parties. We might elsewhere make gains on the right wing: PVDA and probably Connor's Rousseau/Vooruits increasing immigrant and working class bashing also does wondering for them, inspired by Mette Frederiksen.

We now have a liberal party that is not liberal and a socialist party that is not socialist.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

With issues such as the outcome of the Sanda Dia lawsuit case with allegiations of class justice and the pension scandal to politicians of self-enrichment, its maybe natural that VLD is facing the consequences of these. I suppose that especially in their rural strongholds they have a steep decline of people moving to right wing parties. We might elsewhere make gains on the right wing: PVDA and probably Connor's Rousseau/Vooruits increasing immigrant and working class bashing also does wondering for them, inspired by Mette Frederiksen.

We now have a liberal party that is not liberal and a socialist party that is not socialist.

What does this actually involve? From the outside they just look a bit weird, but the polls suggest it’s working electorally so maybe not.

Of course its working electorally, because a majority of Flemish people are nativist.

If people remember my past posts as well, i've said before that maybe we should go nativist because we would do well in the polls. Now i realize this is wrong, but it's no surprise to me that it works, i've always said that it would work. Even a lot of people who vote for centrist parties are in some way islamophobe or want to preserve "flemish culture, values & heritage".

There are other reasons why he does well of course too, including the way how he handles media. But it's definitely a party i would never vote for in its current direction.