Election list numbers allotted
A group of primary school children took centre stage on Friday morning as the numbers were drawn for the parties that will be standing in the forthcoming regional, federal and European elections. The draw is always eagerly awaited by the party leaders. The draw was made in the presence of the Interior Minister Pieter De Crem (Flemish Christian democrat)
Of the Flemish parties the liberals of Open VLD were draw first and given list number 3. The Flemish nationalist N-VA was the next Flemish party to be drawn and was allotted number 8. The far-right Vlaams Belang was given number 9. The Flemish Christian democrats got number 10, the far-left PTB-PVDA got number 12, the Flemish greens were given number 15 and the Flemish socialists were given list number 16.
N-VA kreeg nummer 8, Vlaams Belang nummer 9, CD&V nummer 10, PVDA nummer 12, Groen nummer 15 en SP.A nummer 16.
The list number lottery is part of Belgian political folklore. Party leaders and party spokespeople always try and come up with a good and/or witty quote that explains why their list number is a winner.
The leader of the Flemish liberals Gwendolyn Rutten told journalists that. “We got the first number given to the Flemish parties this is a good start because we are going for gold”.
Meanwhile, the Flemish nationalists’ Deputy Leader Lorin Parys was keen to put the list number draw into perspective.
"It is above all important for the printers as they can now get down to work. Nevertheless, Mr Parys had taken the trouble to find out that 8 is a Chinese lucky number.
The leader of the Flemish socialists John Crombez was upbeat despite his party having been drawn last among the Flemish parties. "As a result this number would be very much ok, just a bit higher than the greens”, Mr Crombez laughed.
