Nicolas Maeterlinck

Nationalists will not be entering into coalition talks with Forza Ninove

The Ninove branch of the Flemish nationalist party N-VA has said that it does not intend to enter coalition talks with Forza Ninove, a local list that is headed by Guy D’haeseleer, an MP for the far-right Vlaams Belang. Instead N-VA Ninove has decided to opt for a place in the opposition.    

In a press statement released on Tuesday afternoon the party’s Ninove branch says “After having discussed the issue internally and having consulted the national party leadership, the Branch Committee has decided not to accept Forza Ninove’s invitation for talks”.

By opting for the opposition N-VA has put the other parties in Ninove in a very difficult position as they would need the support of Forza Ninove’s councilors in order to have a majority on the council.

However, N-VA does say that it is prepared to support any new coalition on a case by case basis.

Forza Ninove took 40% of the votes in Ninove, at town around 20 kilometres west of Brussels. The head of Forza Ninove’s lists is the Flemish MP Guy D'haeseleer of the far-right Vlaams Belang. Mr D'haeseleer had hoped that the nationalist would form a coalition with Forza Ninove. Initially the leader of N-VA Bart De Wever had left the door open for coalition talks between his party’s councilors in Ninove and Mr D’haeseleers list.

However, Facebook posts by Mr D’haeseleer from some time ago that have resurfaced have caused a change of heart. Now Mr De Wever says that chances of his party collaborating with Forza Nivove are “sub-zero”.    

 

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