Green kicks off provincial election campaign: “Complex-free campaigning”

The Green departments in the province of Antwerp descended on Berchem on Saturday to kick off their campaign for the national elections. The party’s spearheads are climate, affordable care for everyone and fair opportunities for everyone.

The Groen Antwerpen party secretariat in Statiestraat in Berchem has been renovated and will serve as a campaign hub in the coming months. Party leaders Meyrem Almaci (House of Representatives) and Kim Buyst (Flemish Parliament) once again told the members what they think the campaign should be about. “We campaign without complexity for a caring society that tackles climate change. It’s now or never,” says Almaci.

There was mainly criticism of Flemish policy, where Groen is in the opposition. “Flanders has had autonomy over spatial planning for 40 years,” says Almaci. “We have to soften, but concrete is added to our province every day.”

Mobility also doesn’t get very good marks from Buyst. “When will people finally invest again in our public transport? And not, as the Flemish government does, by removing three thousand stops,” says the Flemish party leader.

Both leaders also briefly reflected on bus manufacturer Van Hool, among others. “How can you give a loss-making airport for private jets 40 million euros in subsidies, subsidize a shale gas-based plastic factory, and at the same time let Van Hool go bankrupt,” asks Almaci.(svw)