Zelzate, a municipality in East Flanders, has been led for six years by a Vooruit-PTB coalition. Despite the party’s image, local management is distinguished by concrete actions without a radical ideological shift. Reduction of taxes for citizens, taxation of large businesses and support for social housing are among the measures put in place. However, despite a pragmatic record, the PTB lost a third of its votes in the last elections.
Zelzate is a municipality located in East Flanders, with a notable particularity: it is led by a coalition Vooruit (Flemish socialists) and the PTB. “No, there is no communist flag in front of the town hall. We only have that of Ukraine, in solidarity with this people“, specifies Steven De Vuyst, outgoing alderman. During the six years of management of the PTB, concrete actions have been put in place. “For example, we distribute free sanitary napkins in the toilets of the sports hall to combat menstrual poverty.“, he adds.
We reduced taxes for citizens
The PTB is the second party in a coalition led by the socialists from Vooruit to Zelzate. One of their most notable achievements is the taxation of large businesses along the canal. “On the one hand, we have reduced citizens’ taxes. The environmental tax has been abolished, and the self-employed pay 100 euros less tax. In addition, we neutralized the waste tax, but to compensate for this, we made multinationals contribute“, pour suit De Vuyst.
They make life difficult for businesses
The Flemish employers’ federation, Voka, took legal action against this tax imposed on large companies. “The Communist Party says only part of profits are taxed. But, in Flanders, they say it’s like cooking a frog. When the water gets too hot, the frog jumps out of the pot and dies. It’s the same with companies whose lives we make difficult.“, explains Jan Geers from Voka.
However, Voka’s complaint was unsuccessful, and the tax is indeed in place. “This represents an increase of 500,000 euros in taxes for all companies. It’s insignificant compared to their profits, but for the municipality, it makes a big difference. The Voka feared that this would be a precedent and that other municipalities would imitate us“, specifies De Vuyst.
A rather positive assessment
A jeweler established in Zelzate for 50 years, like many other small traders, benefited from the PTB’s decisions. “Zelzate has always been on the left, and the PTB is a left-wing party, so it didn’t change much for us“, he explains. “We have noticed a slight drop in our taxes, but all municipalities do this, so the impact has not been very noticeable“, he adds.
The PTB also worked for social housing, notably saving a set of low-rent housing units from demolition. Geert, a local resident, is delighted: “Fortunately the PTB saved our neighborhood. My rent is less than 600 euros per month.“
The municipality’s investments are made possible by generous subsidies from the Flemish Region. Furthermore, Zelzate’s debt is decreasing. “Debt per capita has decreased, notably thanks to the tax on large businesses. It was divided by three“, explains Kristof Vereecke, journalist and author of Small Russia.
To reduce the debt, the municipality also reduced expenses related to elected officials. For example, the mayor no longer has a company car, and the number of aldermen has been reduced. “We have two fewer aldermen than allowed, which has allowed us to save 100,000 euros per year.“
The PTB returned to the opposition
Despite a score of 22% in the last municipal elections, Steven De Vuyst must leave his post, because the socialist party Vooruit has chosen to form a coalition with the CD&V and the N-VA. “The message from voters is clear. Vooruit made a lot of progress, and within one seat, we had an absolute majority. On the other hand, the PTB lost a third of its votes, a first in 18 years“, souligne le bourgmestre Vooruit, Brent Meuleman.
In summary, Zelzate did not become a communist. Under the previous legislature, Zelzate was the only municipality in Belgium where the communists had a majority.
#PTB municipal elections 2024
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