Leopoldsburg (Eurotoday) – Four municipal councillors from the Flemish nationalist party Vlaams Belang have announced their resignation from the party to continue their political careers as independents. The departing members include Daisy Vandeplas and Chantal Nagels from Leopoldsburg, and Mike Corneille and Wendy Hill representing Beringen.
The Limburg-based councillors cited internal party conflicts, misogyny, and a lack of cooperation as primary reasons behind their decision to leave. All four indicated they no longer felt supported within Vlaams Belang, particularly in light of repeated instances of sexism and what they describe as a toxic internal atmosphere.
Nagels, who also serves as a provincial council member, emphasized her intent to continue independently. At a press conference held earlier today, she stated:
“It has been a fierce election battle, and this is a result of it,” said Nagels. “We feel wronged as women.”
She added that Vlaams Belang in Leopoldsburg has built a reputation for misogyny, and unfortunately, that perception has proven accurate.
Vandeplas elaborated further, explaining that being chosen for the national list in the past year resulted in targeted harassment:
“Since last year, when we were selected and some men were not, we as women have received a lot of trash and sexist comments. We raised these concerns multiple times with the party leadership, but there were only a few ineffective mediation attempts. We were never truly supported. The bullying reached the point of blackmail and threats.”
In Beringen, Corneille described a total breakdown in cooperation.
“The collaboration in Beringen is simply non-existent,” he said. “I’m not allowed to take part in faction meetings, we’re kept out of important communications – it just doesn’t work.”
Party responses to the resignations have been mixed. Peeters, the chairman of Vlaams Belang Leopoldsburg, denied accusations of misogyny.
“It’s a shame that they’re leaving in this way, despite efforts to mediate. We’re definitely not misogynistic – I even gave up my seat to a woman,” he said. “This is unprecedented for Leopoldsburg, but we are moving forward as a united party. We will continue working constructively in the municipality.”
Party official Saeren expressed surprise at the developments:
“I really didn’t know anything about this,” she said. “I will take the matter up internally. I had asked Mike from the start to step aside for someone more motivated. We will move ahead with people truly committed to the party and our residents.”
Background on Vlaams Belang Tensions in Limburg
The resignations underscore ongoing internal challenges within Vlaams Belang, particularly in Limburg, where the party has long grappled with disputes over leadership and gender dynamics. The party gained 11.8% of the vote in the Limburg region in 2022, securing representation in several municipalities.
However, similar issues have emerged before. In Hechtel-Eksel, a democratic subgroup within Vlaams Belang, known as DSA, separated from the main party citing comparable concerns. This points to a broader pattern of internal strife.
With the departure of Nagels and Vandeplas, Vlaams Belang has lost one-third of its council seats in Leopoldsburg. Likewise, the departures of Corneille and Hill reduced the Beringen faction’s council seats to five. Gender disparities persist in the party: only 28% of Vlaams Belang officials elected in 2023 were women, compared to 42% across all Belgian elected officials.
As the 2024 municipal elections approach, Vlaams Belang faces mounting instability. The resignations and growing support for the breakaway DSA group suggest the potential for further fragmentation within the party, weakening its political cohesion and public image.
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