CD&V has the right of initiative to form a coalition in 118 Flemish municipalities. Chairman Sammy Mahdi is very pleased with this. “During the campaign, many people wondered whether CD&V would retain dominance in local authorities. In terms of absolute majorities, we are still improving, from 40 to 65. We are the largest party in 137 municipalities. That is spectacular.”
“As a party, we have very clearly chosen the rural municipalities, because we know what challenges there are. As CD&V we are not only holding our ground, but we are also scoring. We are once again becoming the largest party, where we were not before.”
In the cities there is a status quo or the party is deteriorating. “There are cities where we have done well. But it also has to do with the proximity to politics, where we are closer to the citizen in smaller cities and rural municipalities, anonymity in the cities is a challenge.”
In his own municipality of Vilvoorde, the Open VLD-CD&V list succeeded in becoming the largest formation, ahead of Mayor Hans Bonte’s Vooruit. “Many people thought that breaking through 12 years of socialism would not work, but I committed myself to this as a list pusher,” says Mahdi.
“I would like to help ensure a different policy from the municipal council. I will not cumulate with a post as alderman, I have never had the ambition to become mayor, because I am committed to my city at the national level.”
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