Members of Flemish socialist party Vooruit have backed the party’s participation in the new Flemish government, with 94% of voters giving their approval on Saturday evening.
Vooruit convened its members in the afternoon at the Thermae Palace in Ostend, shortly after announcing a government agreement with the N-VA and CD&V. The venue was strategically chosen as the former Vooruit president John Crombez aims to become the mayor of the coastal city.
Crombez opened the event, followed by party president Conner Rousseau and negotiators Melissa Depraetere and Caroline Gennez, who presented the agreement to the members. Voting took place both in person and online.
Rousseau was reassuring, saying: “We have never invested so much in the daily lives of the Flemish people. On June 9, Flanders had a choice. It could have turned into the dark chaos of the far right, but we resisted together. With this new government, we demonstrate that politicians can reach agreements and make decisions. And we can govern.”
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Vooruit also included school meals in the government agreement – a flagship policy for Flemish socialists during the electoral campaign.
A “significant” budget has been allocated, involving both schools and local authorities. This especially aims to ensure that primary school pupils eat healthily.
The participation congresses of the N-VA and CD&V are scheduled for Sunday. While responsibilities have reportedly been divided among the three parties, no official announcements were made on Saturday.
