Eighth suspect detained in Ninove election fraud investigation
An eighth suspect was detained on Tuesday as part of an investigation into election fraud in the city of Ninove. All suspects are connected to Forza Ninove, a local chapter of the far-right party Vlaams Belang, the public prosecutor’s office in East Flanders confirmed.
The office had previously announced that seven individuals had been detained as part of the investigation, including a Forza Ninove alderwoman and municipal councillor, as well as several others who were on the local party's list.
The eighth suspect who has been detained is Dany G, an alderman for the party. The suspects are being questioned on suspicion of forgery relating to fraudulent proxy voting in the 2024 municipal elections.
Irregular proxy voting
The investigation was launched on election day, 13 October 2024, when a local magistrate raised concerns about irregular proxy voting involving falsified medical certificates. Authorities seized all proxy documents used in the Ninove elections.
On Tuesday morning, the national leadership of Vlaams Belang said it had been "taken by surprise" by the news, and that it continues to support its local chapter. "We have confidence in the local organisation," said party spokesperson Karen Van der Sype.
'Witch hunt'
In a later post on X, Vlaams Belang leaderTom Van Grieken described the action as an "orchestrated witch hunt" against his party's local leader in Ninove, Guy D'haeseleer. "He has barely left hospital and the intimidation has started again," he wrote.
The public prosecutor's office denied that D'haeseleer, who recently underwent a liver transplant, was targeted in the legal action, as Van Grieken claimed. "It is not true that the plan was to detain him," said spokesperson Annelies Verstraete.
D'haeseleer was sworn in as Belgium's first far-right mayor after Forza Ninove secured an absolute majority by a narrow margin in the October elections. Despite the investigation, the results of the Ninove election will remain valid, as the legal deadline for contesting them has passed.
#FlandersNewsService | Guy D'haeseleer celebrates the election results for Forza Ninove on municipal election day, 13 October 2024 © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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