Since coming to power in Ninove, East Flanders, the far-right party Forza Ninove has been accused of “whitewashing” the city’s magazine.
Political observer Luc Barbé, formerly active with Agalev and Groen, points out that fewer non-white individuals have appeared in the magazine’s pages over recent months. He claims this contrasts sharply with the period before Forza Ninove took control.
The far-right mayor, Guy D’haeseleer, responded to these allegations by stating, “That’s possible. But is it a problem?” He admitted that it was a conscious decision to no longer feature people wearing veils or similar items in the publication. According to him, the emphasis is now on integration—“becoming Flemish among the Flemings.” He added, “I’m glad that this change is noticeable.”
When contacted on Sunday, D’haeseleer clarified that he had not issued explicit instructions to exclude specific groups from the magazine’s photos. However, he noted that people of colour are included in other promotional materials for the city.
Jordy De Dobbeleer, a Groen politician in the local opposition, recalled a similar controversy from 10 years ago, when D’haeseleer reacted angrily to a magazine cover featuring a veiled woman. De Dobbeleer expressed concerns that city workers might now be practising self-censorship. He emphasised the importance of the magazine’s visual representation and vowed to raise the issue in an upcoming council meeting.
