Egbert Lachaert announced the new name and logo at the New Year’s reception on Sunday. — © SD
Merelbeke / Melle –
Former party chairman Egbert Lachaert will not go to voters under the name Open VLD during the municipal elections in October. The candidate mayor announced this on Sunday. His list in the new merged municipality of Merelbeke-Melle will be called Blauw.
Blue. Stronger together. That is the new name and slogan of the liberals in Merelbeke and Melle. On Sunday the parties held their New Year’s reception together in the Merelbeke Cultural Center. From 2025, both municipalities will merge into a new merged municipality: Merelbeke-Melle.
Former party chairman Egbert Lachaert is a candidate for mayor, but does not approach voters under the party name. Nationally, the party is struggling with one bad poll after another. Many local departments fear the impact of the elections and opt for money for their money.
Strong brand
The local branches emphasize that it is not a choice against Open VLD. “We remain a member and connected,” say chairmen of Melle and Merelbeke Thomas Martens and Tom Leyman. “However, the elections should be about how the merger offers added value for the residents.”
The liberals of Merelbeke-Melle are approaching voters as Blue. — © IF
According to Lachaert, there has been a lot of internal thought and discussion about the new local party name. “In Melle and Merelbeke, Open VLD is still a strong brand, so some members wanted to keep the party name. But through this merger we really want to write a new story.”
Lower taxes
The party wants to make its ambitions clear with the slogan and name. “The merger gives us the opportunity to make our new municipality even stronger than each individual one. We want to be a brand on the outskirts of Ghent, which people can be proud of and where they like to live,” says Lachaert.
Both Lachaert and faction leader in Melle Lieven Volckaert emphasized the strength of their team. “We are changing our name locally, but we continue to support our party,” Lachaert said. “We are aiming for even lower taxes and a more attractive village square in Melle.”