Dutch-Born Els van Doesburg Could Become the New Mayor of Antwerp

antwerp, belgium - Els van Doesburg, a Dutch-born politician, might take over as the mayor of Antwerp if Bart De Wever becomes the Belgian Prime Minister. Van Doesburg is known for her conservative views and strong opinions on various social issues.

Els van Doesburg, born in the Netherlands, could potentially become the new mayor of Antwerp, succeeding Bart De Wever who may move on to the position of Prime Minister of Belgium. In her political career, Van Doesburg has positioned herself as a conservative figure, firmly opposing what she perceives as 'woke' ideologies.

Van Doesburg's name has always been at the top of the list of candidates to replace Bart De Wever in Antwerp, should he decide to pursue the premiership instead of continuing as mayor. Now, De Wever has officially confirmed that Els van Doesburg will take over the reins in Antwerp if he moves to Brussels. Born in Soest, near Utrecht, Van Doesburg moved to Schilde at the age of 10 and has since identified herself as having assimilated into Flemish culture, describing herself as 'Dutch on the outside, Flemish on the inside'.

She studied political and social sciences at the University of Antwerp and began her career as an intern for Zuhal Demir, a member of the center-right N-VA party. Van Doesburg later joined Peter De Roover's team as a parliamentary assistant. Despite briefly leaving politics to pursue nursing in April 2021, she returned to take up Fons Duchateau's position as city councilor in charge of various portfolios.

In public perception, Van Doesburg gained widespread recognition when she got engaged to Peter De Roover in November 2021, sparking conversation due to their significant age difference. Described by some as a poster girl for the new conservatism, she embraces the label of being 'unapologetically conservative'.

Van Doesburg is vocal in her views against modern feminism, criticizing what she perceives as victimhood culture and political correctness. She has been known to challenge societal norms on issues such as abortion and euthanasia, positioning herself as a staunch critic of woke ideologies and communism.

The future holds the question of whether and when Els van Doesburg will assume the mantle of leadership from Bart De Wever. During the campaign, she made it clear that she sees herself as De Wever's running mate and even appeared in public wearing a sweater with the slogan 'De Wever- Van Doesburg '24'. The outcome now hinges on De Wever's decision regarding the premiership.