Vooruit leader Melissa Depraetere will not run for second term
Melissa Depraetere will not participate in the leaderships elections of her party, Vooruit, she announced on Radio 1 on Wednesday morning. She hopes that former leader Conner Rousseau will "pick up the thread". "Our party and our country need someone like Conner," she said.
Following Rousseau's resignation in November last year, Depraetere said she "apprehensively" took on the responsibility of guiding the socialist party through the election campaign as interim president. This led to a "good result" on Sunday, but she has no ambition to remain leader.
Nominations for the leadership can be submitted from Monday. Depraetere hopes that Rousseau, who was elected as a Flemish MP in East Flanders on Sunday, will return to the head of the party. "I told him that last night," Depraetere said.
In a post on Instagram, she said Rousseau was the right person to lead Vooruit. "Conner has proven himself over the past few years as someone who makes a difference. He received a clear message from the voters on Sunday. Our party and our country need someone like Conner," she said.
"Our party and our country need someone like Conner"
Rousseau was forced to resign as Vooruit leader when racist remarks he made to police about the Roma community came to light. It is not yet clear whether he will nominate himself as a candidate for the election. Rousseau and Depraetere will discuss the topic on Wednesday afternoon, according to sources close to him.
On Monday, Vooruit announced that Depraetere and Rousseau would lead their party's government negotiations at both Flemish and federal level. In the Flemish formation, they will be supported by minister for Development Cooperation and Urban Policy Caroline Gennez, and at federal level by Health and Social Affairs minister Frank Vandenbroucke.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO TOM GOYVAERTS
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