The banging could be heard far beyond Antwerp. Despite the call from the party leadership to turn the page, federal and, for the time being, local party leader Jinnih Beels lashed out sharply again on Tuesday in an interview with Humo. In it she returned to the sudden departure of fellow alderman Tom Meeuws and his alleged racist statements. “You don’t have to be a racist to make racist statements,” he said.
“A shame,” says an Antwerp socialist about Beels’ interview. “No one benefits from this.”
Beels himself does not want to make more of it than what it is. The Antwerp leader is a woman with a strong opinion, according to her entourage. But there is currently no public response. “Too sensitive,” says an employee. In the meantime, party members are looking with wide eyes at some of her statements, such as the fact that she has “only one foot in the party”. Where is her other leg then?
One of those party members is Dirk Wiesé, one of the four conciliators appointed by the national party leadership to get the Antwerp branch back into line. He reacts disappointed to Beels’ statements. “I think that’s a bit of a shame, but I’m not going to say more about it today,” he says diplomatically. “The intention is that we will discuss all this at the general membership meeting on Thursday.”
The tension is palpable in the run-up to that meeting. The intention was to give all party members the opportunity to vent, so that they could then join ranks together again. “The discussions must stop,” says Wiesé. At the same time, no socialist dares to predict how the meeting will end. In the worst case, Beels will soon lose her title as Antwerp’s party leader.
Team Meeuws
Meeuws’ sudden dismissal has left deep wounds. After his departure on February 11, several leading socialists came to his defense. Think of former aldermen Robert Voorhamme and Monica De Coninck, current European Parliament member Kathleen Van Brempt and federal MP Ben Segers. Beels and local chairman Sascha Luyckx in particular had to suffer.
According to ‘Team Meeuws’, the boarded ships were treated unfairly by the duo. According to one version, he was the victim of an internal reckoning, in which he was unfairly portrayed as a racist. According to the other, he did make a mistake, but was afterwards too eagerly thrown to the lions. The local party leadership would also tolerate too little participation. Voorhamme recently talked about a toxic atmosphere.
Beels herself believes that most party members realize that she acted correctly as soon as she was informed of Meeuws’ incorrect statements. And that she is not the lapdog of N-VA, whatever nonsense may say. A statistical party analysis of the points in the Antwerp administrative agreement shows that it has achieved two-thirds of its policy points, which is in line with the other cabinets. In Humo Beels says that “the silent majority” supports her.
Whether that estimate is correct remains to be seen. Because in the meantime, her local party leadership is the subject of a strong whispering campaign, both within and outside the party. “Who will be our party leader in October? We will see about that later,” says an Antwerp socialist.
In the meantime, all kinds of wild rumors are doing the rounds, from a comeback by former mayor Patrick Janssens to a switch with Van Brempt.
Officially, Beels’ local party leadership is not on the agenda today.
Right-wing voters
In addition to a choice between individuals, for Vooruit it is also about a choice between styles. A number of older values within the party are familiar with the typical rougher speaking style of the Antwerp citizen, says Wiesé. “But the younger the party members, the more difficult it is for them,” he noted in his reconciliation talks. According to him, the party must choose which tone it wants to take from now on. An agenda item was devoted to this at the meeting.
Everyone, or almost everyone, agrees that terms such as ‘mocroships’ and ‘our Moroccan’ exceed the bounds of decency. Meeuws’ statements are certainly condemned, especially in highly educated circles. However, it is an observation that the man or woman in the street is not necessarily looking for a perfectly groomed politician. Better a man of the people who wears his heart on his sleeve than an aloof man.
It will not be easy to keep both tendencies satisfied. After the ‘zattemanslap’ by ex-chairman Conner Rousseau, the party leadership is wary of new slip-ups. “They are really not okay,” said chairman Melissa Depraetere about Meeuws’ statements. At the same time, the party cannot afford to repel centrist voters. The analysis echoes in the red corridors that too many right-wing voters who were attracted to Vooruit are in danger of dropping out.
No one is under any illusions: the latter problem will not disappear after today’s meeting. There is still hope for a return of the former chairman.
Tags: Crisis Vooruit Antwerp scandalous interview Jinnih Beels party leader
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