Bart De Wever Expresses Concerns Over Election Outcomes

Bart De Wever's Election Day Reflections

Bart De Wever, the president of the N-VA and the sitting mayor of Antwerp, cast his vote on Sunday morning shortly after 10:30 at the Het Pieterke communal school in Deurne. He reiterated his readiness to work with everyone following the October 13 elections, excluding the "extreme parties". "I voted for a large number of candidates. It took some time," De Wever shared after leaving the voting booth. However, he refrained from revealing whom he voted for, stating, "The vote is secret."

De Wever's Concerns About Voter Turnout

According to him, on election day, "every politician oscillates between hope and despair." The mayor of Antwerp was struck by the calm that prevailed in the polling place during this first election where Flemish voters are no longer obliged to express their political preferences. Despite what seems to be low turnout, Bart De Wever remains steadfast in his beliefs. "I have always found it odd to force someone to express their opinion. Voting is a right, not an obligation. If people don't care, they can vote with their feet. And that's never a good democratic signal," he stated.

A Night of Unease

The outgoing mayor, hoping to be re-elected, confided in journalists, offering them coffee, biscuits, and spaghetti. He admitted to having a restless night, stating, "I slept like a baby... Two hours of sleep, wake, and moan… two hours of sleep, wake, moan…" What caused his unease? He feared waking up in "Pyongyang on the Scheldt," referencing the potential rise of the PVDA (Flemish PTB).

Media Incident

While he went to fetch coffee for journalists, the VTM crew accidentally damaged the wall in front of his residence. "As long as the polls are open, I remain generous," he joked, according to our colleagues from Het Laatste Nieuws. The television team presented their apologies to the nationalist.