At the weekend, MP Hermes Sanctorum announced he was leaving the Green party to stand as an independent for the Flemish Parliament.
He has said the decision is based on the party’s hesitation over ritual slaughter.
The ritual slaughter debate is regularly in the news in Flanders. The MP has been calling for the practise to be banned.
“I want to continue to totally commit myself to banning slaughter without stunning. Animal well-being is the cause that made me get into politics. It would go against my conscience to fight for a ban on slaughter without stunning half-heartedly”, he said. The Green party is in favour of a ban, but Mr Sanctorum says they have been extremely passive about the issue.
