Tomorrow we will be able to become the largest party in Antwerp, Belgium’s second largest city and Europe’s second largest port. In the national elections in June our party got 24% of the votes in the city, making us the largest behind the current ruling neolibs (by only a few percent!).
For twelve years the neolibs have run this city. Budget cuts, exploding housing market, decline of infrastructure and public transport, decline of health care, just some of the things they manage to achieve. The city is longing for a change of politics.
Together with the Greens and the Socdems we were polled to reach 46% of the votes, almost enough for a majority. The polls are from a few weeks ago, though, and it is unclear what the polls would say now (they don’t allow them just before elections).
For months our members went out to talk to people in the streets, to bring around flyers, to set up actions. We collected thousands upon thousands of promises from people who are going to vote for us. In my years that I have been active for the party, I have never seen such a positive view in the streets when it comes to our party. We really are turning things around with the people of Antwerp. And that’s good to see, because we have put in an enormous effort over the years.
Mind you this is not a plea in favor of electoralism. We’d need to collaborate with socdems if we want to govern. This isn’t the goal of communisme of course. But in a really important European city we managed to get a marxist party to the top, and I think that’s hopeful.
We’ll see what tomorrow brings.
I wanted to add that voting in the national elections is mandatory here. So 24% of adults living in this city has no problem voting for a marxist party. 1 in 4 people I see out in the streets agree with communist thought enough to at least give us a vote. 1 in 4.
If your party offers good solutions for the city and shows itself to be able to manage things well people won’t see it as voting for communism, but for improving their city. Most people are rational.
And some that doesn’t vote you might agree with some points you make.
Looks like unfortunately a conservative party got the most votes.
To be fair though, I did not expect a communist party to get 20% of the votes anywhere in Europe, so it looks like something might actually be happening in Belgium ? Or is Antwerp like a very left place unlike the rest of the country ?
Also I like that the guy who won said “Freedom has won, prosperity has won”. Like… Freedom and prosperity for whom ? For some reason I’m going to guess he secretly meant corporations and rich people.
His speech was just strange. He started talking about a lot of things that are wrong in the city. Like, mate you have run it for the last decade??? It’s your fucking fault lmao.
I think something can happen in Belgium. Nowhere else in Western Europe do I see such results for marxist parties. Antwerp is historically a true workers’ city but the last few years the left became pretty weak. It’s good to see the tides turning again.
Based, get those N-VA out
That’s an incredible feat; have they got a battle plan for the capitalist backlash - especially media, judiciary and the security apparatus?
