Valerie Van Peel elected N-VA party president with 96% of the vote

Valerie Van Peel has been elected president of the N-VA with 96.26% of the vote. The result was announced by Secretary-General Louis Ide during the party’s national council. Although only one candidate stood for election, 14,486 members—representing 52% of eligible voters—cast their ballots either by mail or online.

Van Peel is the third president in the history of the N-VA, following Geert Bourgeois (2001–2004) and Bart De Wever (2004–2025). She earned a solid reputation working on issues such as welfare, healthcare, ethics, the labour market and equal opportunities. Van Peel began her career as a journalist, working as an editor for the VTM programme Recht van Antwoord, a reporter at Het Nieuwsblad, and a political journalist for Actua-TV and Dag Allemaal. In 2009, she became the N-VA’s spokesperson. From 2013 to 2019, she served as a municipal councillor and chair of the Public Welfare Centre (OCMW) in Kapellen. She was elected to the federal parliament in 2014 for the Antwerp constituency and re-elected in 2019. During her time in parliament, she was active in committees on social affairs, public health and justice. In 2021, she was appointed vice president of the party.

In 2022, Van Peel announced she would leave politics, following the rejection—three times—of her proposed law to strengthen the rights of asbestos victims. But politics soon called her back. In March 2025, she announced her candidacy for the N-VA presidency. With her campaign, Van Peel aimed to reinforce the N-VA as a party of the people and of the community, to once again play a role in societal debate, and to stand up for vulnerable individuals without a voice.

"Great support comes with great responsibility. And I am ready to take it on—first and foremost for our party, but also for all Flemish people," Van Peel said. "It is my job to keep the N-VA’s message sharp, to continue building our party, and to attract new talent from across Flanders.

With Matthias and his team at the Flemish level, and Bart and his team at the federal level, we have the right people on the field. To do what is necessary to keep Flanders strong and ensure everyone is brought along. In times of geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty, and tight budgets, it is crucial that we govern with stability and pursue reform. We are and will remain a community-building party—one that names the problems, takes tough measures when needed, but never leaves anyone behind. People must continue to be able to count on us.

My first priority will be to strengthen the party’s internal operations. I will engage with all our members, from Voeren to De Panne. Because while I may be the new president, this is work we must—and will—do together."

After Bart De Wever was sworn in as Prime Minister and could no longer remain party president, the role was temporarily filled by Steven Vandeput, member of parliament for Limburg and N-VA vice president. Following the local and district-level elections, this presidential election marks the first step in the N-VA’s national leadership renewal. At the next party council on 24 May, members will elect a new secretary-general, two vice presidents, and fifteen party board members who do not hold a national mandate or staff position, with each province represented by at least one member. Finally, at the 14 June meeting, the council will elect a treasurer from within its own ranks. At that point, both the executive board and the party board of the N-VA will be fully renewed.