After the breakdown, Open Vld in Antwerp measures the damage: “I am not resentful, but things have happened that I will not soon forget” (Antwerp)
We made an appointment in the Storm brasserie at the Museum aan de Stroom on the Eilandje in Antwerp. Symbolically it is not possible after the past few weeks.
You have only been active in politics for three years and suddenly the responsibility for the future of the Antwerp branch and the coalition fell on your shoulders.
Caluwaerts: It was a rough period. Meetings were held day and night. In the end I took my responsibility in the interest of the party. Fortunately I had a lot of support, because at a mandate meeting there was a bigger one to stay in the coalition.
Why was opposition not an option for you?
With economics, marketing and work, among other things, we have beautiful powers that match what we are as liberals. Antwerp is in full transition and you want to help shape that. That is not possible from the opposition, especially if you are the smallest party in the city council. By being in the council of aldermen, you have a better view. I see that a lot of young talent finds their way to Open Vld. If we step into the opposition now, it will be for at least nine years. I don’t want to give these young people that prospect. Open Vld is now a policy party.
Willem-Frederik Schiltz made a different analysis. According to him, the party can only grow back by breaking with the coalition and joining the opposition.
I understand his position, but there was no majority for it.
Are you both okay?
That’s for sure. Willem-Frederik and I have been friends for over twenty years.
According to him, those motives of mistrust with N-VA and Vooruit threaten to hang over Open Vld like a sword of Damocles. The coalition partners can commit themselves when doing difficult things. Open Vld is not necessary to form a mass of shapes.
I spoke to Bart De Wever (N-VA) this morning (Sunday, ed.) still with the regional channel ATV. The mayor reiterates that he wants to continue with this coalition. Forward ships Jinnih Beels also expressed this wish. Nobody wants an unstable coalition.
On 6 December, together with Schiltz, you were mentioned by mayor De Wever and aldermen to get a clear message: to relinquish the OCMW chairmanship and thus become second aldermen of the opposition.
Is this a situation? Absolute. Because Willem-Frederik had no nomination certificate and only I was on the two existing nomination certificates, Vooruit saw an opportunity to retain the OCMW and the third ships.
After all, there was an administrative agreement with the promise of a second alderman for Open Vld from 1 January 2022. Your coalition partners are breaking that agreement.
True, but the people and the context in 2018 are not the same as now. Forward has strengthened itself. In addition, there was a new decree that made it to change a coalition composition. We stood with the rug against the wall.
Of course you demanded the powers of the middle class in exchange for relinquishing the CPAS presidency, but that fell on a cold stone.
We had discussed it internally but it never came to a demand on the negotiating table, we got permission changes. The situation was clear from the start. Agree or the opposition.
You do have N-VA and Vooruit implementing provisions to realize some projects within your powers. Isn’t it always the intention to realize projects in the administrative agreement?
These are promises on top of what is already in the administrative agreement. I can’t go into detail at the moment. It’s also about extra budgets. I’m glad we got that out.
At the members’ conference, many speakers were very sharp for N-VA and Vooruit. There is great mistrust, but from January you will be sitting around the lecture table with De Wever and Beels, among others. That can’t be easy, after what you experienced.
alderman Claude Marinower Onzee that constructive work is being done at the table of the council of aldermen. I also experience this as a group leader in the municipality in my contacts with aldermen. Do you have to keep a close eye on the coalition partners? You should always do that. I especially want to turn this page. Dwell on the misery of the past, don’t do anything about it. But I do want to say one thing. I’m not resentful, but I certainly won’t forget what happened that week of December 6.
Your party was very divided in the run-up to the Congress. How is that now?
The rest will be good. That was already clear at the end of the congress. It was also important that Willem-Frederik had already indicated that he was going to accept the result of this congress.
You must help ensure that the party is sufficiently visible in the run-up to the municipal elections in 2024.
Well, that was my first thought this morning at the members’ conference on Friday. We need to work better together and communicate with all our representatives, especially those in the districts. In addition, we must show that we as liberals stand for entrepreneurship. That is creating opportunities, not only for companies, but also for the inhabitants of Antwerp.
Would you not stand firmer with outgoing alderman Claude Marinower as faction leader by your side?
It’s with Claude. I know I can always rely on him whether he’s on the board or not.