Anna De Smedt, 5th place Voor U (list 17)
I started this campaign with a healthy dose of idealism. Without the 81 million of your tax money that the 'established' parties get, of course.
Frank is an amateur photographer and takes many photos that I am -mostly anyway- quite proud of. We have a screen in the kitchen on which these show. When we started this project, our friends started giving us heartfelt tips. 'Hey that's exactly that famous picture by Annemie Neyts, you should do something with that' - the result of which is still floating around online somewhere. The image that made the biggest impression on us, however, was that of our trip to Athens. Hell, I'm wearing sunglasses in those photos, which is not ideal. But after much deliberation, I think the symbolism of the photo is far more important than that fact.
I am standing in front of the Acropolis of Athens, the absolute symbol of the birth of democracy, the birthplace of European civilisation and, on top of that, in the capital of a country that, with European help, has overcome a severe crisis and is now at the top of economic growth. What an achievement!
But it is also a real, authentic photo of myself. How I looked that day, before we embarked on this challenge. With a transparent top that perfectly reflects what I miss in modern Europe. A fog of bureaucracy and regulations is not the ideal image of Europe I grew up with. Europe needs transparency. A Europe that looks after your security, your freedom and that has the values of the enlightenment as its unshakeable guiding principle. And that leaves you mostly alone for all the rest.
I hope you can appreciate this symbolism, because for me it is very important. And for the haters, honi soit. I have no sore toes and woke hypersensitivity. Bring it on. The lady is not for turning.