Two well-known names in national politics, Vooruit party leader Conner Rousseau and fresh Flemish Education Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA), both ran for mayor in their hometown but lost the race.
In the week before the municipal election, Demir made it clear that she would give up her position as Education Minister in the Flemish Government – which she had previously described as her "dream job" – if she could become mayor in the city of Genk (Limburg).
However, her list did not win the elections, meaning she will not be able to become mayor in her hometown and will keep her position in the Flemish Government.
Demir's list came second and received 30.1% of the votes, which translates to 13 seats (one more than in 2018). However, the CD&V list of current Genk mayor Wim Dries finished first with 43.2%, good for 19 of the 39 seats to be distributed in the Limburg mining city.
This means that Dries managed to keep Demir's N-VA well away. "I am a very happy man. CD&V won the elections in Genk. The gap with N-VA has also widened," said Dries, who now has the right of initiative to form a municipal coalition. "The way it looks now, we can either work with Vooruit-Groen or with N-VA. We will consult with both parties and then we can see with whom we can form a coalition."
Vote champion, not mayor
Meanwhile in Sint-Niklaas (East Flanders), the N-VA list of outgoing mayor Lieven Dehandschutter won from Vooruit party leader Conner Rousseau, meaning the latter will not become mayor in his hometown.
N-VA remains the largest in the city, with 27.5% of the votes – retaining its 14 (of the 42) seats in the municipal council. Vooruit has to settle for 25.6%. However, after a heavy loss in 2018, the party did make another jump in seat numbers: from 5 to 12.
With 6,741 votes, Rousseau did become "vote champion" in Sint-Niklaas. But Dehandschutter, with 6,223 votes, obtained the most votes on the largest list and is therefore in the running to form a new city council and likely succeed himself as mayor.
Outgoing Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, on the other hand, will become mayor of his hometown Brakel (East Flanders). His liberal Open VLD party received 43,2% of the votes (10.8% less than in 2018), but still remains the largest. De Croo will succeed Stefaan Devleeschouwer as mayor.
