It has been a year and a half since Joachim Coens disappeared from the political scene. In May 2022, he resigned as chairman of CD&V, after a bad poll by VRT NWS and De Standaard in which his party barely reached 8.7 percent. Even before he could go to voters with the Christian Democrats, Coens – who defeated Sammy Mahdi in the internal chairmanship elections in 2019 – threw in the towel. Tired of fighting, and pushed to the exit by his own party members. In the wings, challenger and chairman Sammy Mahdi was eager to take over.
After his exit, Coens returned to Damme, the West Flemish city where he is mayor. In a candid interview with the Krant van West-Vlaanderen, he looked back on his chairmanship last year. “I stopped because I felt that things were not going the way I wanted, because things were not progressing. It was over, I was stuck. You have to be honest about that. I also no longer felt any confidence within the party. Eventually I couldn’t do anything right anymore. Everything I said was wrong. Then you have to dare to let go,” he said.
Coens also made it clear that he is “happier than as chairman”. “I am freed from all tension.” In addition to being mayor, he also had more time for family and relaxation. And he was freed from the polarization in Wetstraat. When asked whether he would still participate in the elections, he answered negatively. “No, I don’t think I have any business there. I choose Damme and we will see the rest.”
Federale thema’s
But a year later the cards are different. On Saturday, the West Flemish department of CD&V finalized its lists. Joachim Coens is on the parliamentary list there as a list pusher. The party leader is, as is known, Nathalie Muylle, the former Minister of Economy. “Nathalie asked me to support the list,” says Coens. “And I responded to that.” But Coens doesn’t just participate for the sake of participating. There is a chance that he will jump over the others on the list and still win his seat. “I think I can still play a role in national politics.”
Coens is once again working on a substantive story to appeal to voters. “I am concerned with globalization, income security, asylum and migration and a better state apparatus,” he says. “These themes are mainly federal.” In an earlier phase of his career, from 1995 to 2001, Coens already served in the Flemish Parliament. He subsequently became CEO of the port of Zeebrugge. Now Coens is once again taking into account a role as a representative of the people.
Asylum Center
In addition to Coens, there are several other notable names on the West Flemish parliamentary list. No more Hendrik Bogaert, the 2019 party leader founded his own party Reasonable Right this week. Franky Demon, MP and alderman in Bruges, is in second place after Nathalie Muylle. Felix De Clerck, the son of former chairman Stefaan De Clerck, is in fourth place. Frank Casteleyn, the eccentric mayor of Jabbeke, who made himself known for his opposition to the arrival of an asylum center in his municipality, is in sixth place.
The Flemish list is drawn by Flemish minister Hilde Crevits. She is assisted by MPs Bart Dochy (2nd place), Loes Vandromme (3rd place) and Brecht Warnez (4th place). Kris Declercq, mayor of Roeselare, is the first successor.