When the Flemish green party first saw the light of day, in the 1970s, it did so in Antwerp. There, too, lie the roots of the far-right Vlaams Blok (now called Vlaams Belang). Because of its dense population, Antwerp has more representatives, making it easier for new parties to gain a seat. But the electoral system is only part of the explanation. For some reason, Antwerp city folk have very sharp antennae, picking up the Zeitgeist at an early stage.

When the Vlaams Blok scored 17.7% in the 1988 city council elections, most observers thought that this was a typical Antwerp phenomenon. Three years later, on “Black Sunday,” they had to admit their mistake when the Vlaams Blok made a national breakthrough.

The steady rise of the Vlaams Blok/Belang has necessitated another thing, which was also initially considered to be typical of Antwerp only – the broad coalition which includes all the major parties except for VB (which is excluded for ethical reasons). The wide coalition has also moved beyond Antwerp: the previous Flemish government – which included Christian Democrats, liberals and socialists – was exactly that.

The headscarf debate is just another example of how Antwerp leads the way, whether we like it or not. The debate was mostly nonexistent in Flanders until things became heated up in Antwerp, resulting in a total ban in public schools across Flanders. “Thank you very much,” a Limburg politician of Turkish descent sneered last weekend.

So what will the future bring? Looking at Antwerp, there are not too many signs for optimism.