It could be in Someren’s politics. While Guido Schoolmeesters was dismissed as alderman over a year ago due to an integrity issue, he won the municipal elections last week with The Community List. Schoolmeesters is clear about his ambition: “I want to become an alderman again. People clearly want me back.”
The day after the elections, Schoolmeesters barely recovered from the results. He was allowed to add 1,229 preferential votes, a record. He sees it as a form of rehabilitation, a helping hand. “It’s a voter signal,” he says. What kind of signal then? “That they want me back. That seems clear to me.”
It’s like this: Schoolmeesters has had a turbulent year to say the least. As alderman, he was dismissed by the city council over a year ago because of an integrity issue. According to an investigative report, he sponsored his son and a construction company on a starter home project.
He is legally challenging the dismissal. A battle that Schoolmeesters say costs a lot of energy and money. “I have spent 35,000 euros on lawsuits so far. I was wrongly sent away.”
He saw the municipal elections as a benchmark: “I went into the elections with the feeling: voter, tell me what you think. If you don’t want me on the council, that’s clear too. But that is certainly not the case now.”
Schoolmeesters single-handedly won 1,229 votes, equivalent to 2.5 seats. His party won six seats, making it by far the largest. The Community List will almost certainly enter the coalition. Talks about this started on Sunday morning.
“The voter has spoken,” says Schoolmeesters. “I can’t remember someone in Someren getting so many preferential votes. Justice at last, that’s how it feels. I felt screwed for a year, but now it’s pure relief. This is a personal victory.”