Surprise: Jinnih Beels withdraws as Antwerp leader Vooruit in local elections

A month and a half after the dismissal of Antwerp alderman Tom Meeuws, the local Vooruit department remains in crisis. Due to a kick from Jinnih Beels in the weekly magazine Humo her status as leading lady was also on shaky legs. A special reconciliation meeting in Antwerp, which was held to sort out Meeuws’ departure and turn the page, could not completely put together the pieces, because the outcome is that after Meeuws, Beels is also removed from the list.

On her own initiative, she stated on Thursday evening. “I have a great love for my city and it is a great honor to be an alderman in Antwerp. Thanks to us, the city once again got a social face and I am personally very proud of that. In a non-evident coalition, as a junior partner, we have succeeded, among other things, in providing school meals for our children and young people, we have introduced practical tests, and in 6 months we have set up an emergency school for students from exceptional backgrounds. education.”

“My focus now is on the national elections of June 9, for which I am campaigning with great enthusiasm. But that also means that I will turn the local page at the end of my mandate. We have had a good General Meeting, and I am convinced that peace can finally return. I am confident that the party will appoint a new local party leader to continue our work after 2024.” There was no vote on the party leadership on Thursday evening.

Beels may have been under fire since the exit of her party colleague Tom Meeuws from the council, but her own step aside comes as a surprise. Earlier in the day she had received the support of national chairwoman Melissa Depraetere. He let in Villa Politica know that Jinnih Beels remains “clearly our leader”. “Beels was appointed as party leader a few months ago, for both elections.” The fact that things are now turning out differently is a blow to the national party leadership, which is not getting the job done after the noisy departure of Conner Rousseau.

Beels will therefore remain federal party leader in the Antwerp electoral district. In that ballot box she will also compete against ‘her’ mayor, Bart De Wever (N-VA). For the local list, Vooruit has to look for a new number one. The most quoted name is that of current European Parliament member Kathleen Van Brempt. She has to settle for an uncertain second place on the European list, after Bruno Tobback. There is no decision yet.