Former deputy PM De Crem quits party after 40 years over discrimination allegations
Pieter De Crem is leaving Flemish Christian democrats CD&V after more than 40 years, he announced on Monday. The former deputy prime minister was under a disciplinary investigation in his role as mayor of Aalter over discriminatory practices in the registering of new residents.
He stepped down as mayor and municipal councillor on Sunday following the release of an Audit Flanders report finding that the registration process discriminated against non-Belgians.
As a result of his resignation, the disciplinary inquiry launched by Flemish minister for Home Affairs and party colleague Hilde Crevits has been terminated. He remains the commissioner general of BelExpo, the body that coordinates Belgium’s participation in World Expos.
De Crem is a former deputy prime minister and minister of Defence and Home Affairs, who succeeded his father as mayor of Aalter in 1995. Announcing his resignation, he said the national party leadership lacked vision and did not offer answers to local issues.
“For me, CD&V always stood for Christian Democratic and Flemish. Today, this party no longer offers solutions to the problems and challenges facing society,” he said.
“In fact, the national leadership does not even mention these problems, resulting in the decline of the issues that CD&V should be championing.”
De Crem has indicated that he does not intend to stop being involved in politics. “I am taking this opportunity to reach out to everyone who wants to achieve real political reform,” he said.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO JASPER JACOBS
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