According to calculations by Het Laatste Nieuws, Forza Ninove would have had to lose 508 votes to lose its absolute majority and the mayorate with it. A number to put into perspective with the 40,363 inhabitants of Ninove. These 508 votes, the real gap which distances them from the other parties, represent 0.8% of the population of the municipality. In the event of electoral fraud, it is therefore in this mouse hole that Forza Ninove could have tampered with less than 1% of Ninove’s ballots seems to be feasible. In total, 1,618 proxies were issued to Ninove on election day
One element of this affair sheds light on the modus operandi that could have been put in place: proxy votes for elderly people. “I actually wrote several power of attorney certificates. I did it for elderly patients who can no longer walk. It was in good faith. I can’t tell you more,” said on VTM, under cover of anonymity, a doctor cited in the case.
At the moment, the election fraud investigation is in its early stages. But if this is true, three scenarios can be considered.
Suspicions of electoral fraud in Ninove: the doctor cited says “having acted in good faith”
Recount of votes
This involves purely and simply recounting the ballots one by one. Here, it would be impossible to determine which proxy is rigged or not because in Belgium, the vote is secret. This is an unlikely scenario and does not address the potential issues of false proxies.
A return to the polls
A little more likely than a vote recount, but much more complex and tedious to implement. If there is fraud, the public prosecutor will still have to cancel the election results. And this before the Council of State, responsible for the conformity of the results, validates them. It is therefore a race against time that will be played out. Belgian law stipulates that no change, nor going back, is possible once the results have been validated by the Council of State.
Condemn the candidates
If the fraud is revealed but it is no longer possible to return to the polls or recount the votes, there remains a final solution. Remove candidates from political office. If they are convicted of fraud, they may be temporarily or permanently deprived of their political rights. Another mayor would be appointed as a replacement.
