Ninove (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Mayor Guy D’haeseleer (Forza Ninove) banned ABVV union from distributing flyers at Ninove’s Tuesday market, citing political discrimination. Opposition, ABVV, and experts criticised; Interior Minister Hilde Crevits is reviewing the legality.
As VRT News reported, the mayor of Ninove, Guy D’haeseleer of Forza Ninove, has banned the socialist trade union ABVV from handing out flyers at the town’s Tuesday market next week, Oct 7, 2025.
D’haeseleer announced on Facebook, saying the union discriminates by excluding members of Vlaams Belang and Forza Ninove.
“A union that systematically excludes citizens because of their political views has no place at our market,”
he wrote.
He referred to people who were expelled from ABVV in the past because of their political membership. The mayor said public spaces like the market should remain neutral and open to everyone, and that discrimination based on political beliefs should not be allowed.
What is behind Mayor D’haeseleer’s ban on ABVV flyers in Ninove?
ABVV defended its rule of not allowing Vlaams Belang members to join. The union cited a court ruling from more than 10 years ago, which confirmed that trade unions can exclude people whose political views clash with the union’s principles. ABVV representatives criticised D’haeseleer’s decision and compared it to the practices of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“He’s silencing unions. Fortunately, we live in a democracy and have freedom of speech, freedom of association, and freedom of protest. If we get an official ban, we will fight it,”
ABVV representatives.
They said the mayor was interfering with the union’s independence.
“The mayor needs legal grounds to implement that ban, so I doubt we’ll get that notification again,”
Van Den Rise continues.
“We’ve held many flyer campaigns in the past, and this is the first time we’ve been banned from informing people.”
The opposition party Vooruit Ninove has criticised Mayor Guy D’haeseleer. Council member Stin Vermassen called the decision “pure abuse of power” and said it seemed designed to provoke attention. She noted that in the past, several rallies by Forza Ninove and Vlaams Belang have taken place in Ninove without any restrictions.
Vermassen recalled at least 3 national rallies and a candlelight procession led by Dries Van Langenhove, none of which were ever refused permission. She said that a mayor refusing a rally for political reasons is unprecedented and raises serious concerns about neutrality in public spaces.
“A mayor can, in principle, ban demonstrations if they disturb public order, for example, if informants or police indicate that public safety is at risk,”
said De Koninck.
“On the other hand, there’s the right to protest and freedom of expression. It’s a fine line to walk, but the decision in Ninove seems dangerous to me.”
Political analysts and officials are also questioning the mayor’s decision. Koenraad De Koninck, a political scientist at the University of Ghent and mayor of Maldegem for CD&V, pointed out that D’haeseleer’s Facebook post did not mention public order or safety as reasons for the ban.
The office of Interior Minister Hilde Crevits (CD&V) is now reviewing whether or not the mayor went beyond his legal powers. The case opens up a debate about municipal authority and how to manage political activity in public space while also respecting the ability of organizations to be autonomous in their actions.
Similar cases have happened before in Belgium, where mayors restricted political events in public areas. In 2017, the mayor of Molenbeek, Brussels, banned Dutch politician Geert Wilders and Belgian politician Filip Dewinter from holding a rally. The mayor cited concerns about public safety and said the event could cause tensions.
In April 2024, the mayor of Sint-Josse, also in Brussels, banned a National Conservatism conference that was scheduled to feature well-known European right-wing figures. Police were ordered to stop the event mid-session.
