Less than 100 days before the elections, our daily podcast DS Today is campaigning. Every Friday we highlight the most important political news in the run-up to June 9. Because it’s so important. “The result could well herald a real stress test for democracy itself,” says chief political officer Jan-Frederik Abbeloos.
Jan-Frederik Abbeloos, chef Wetstraat, the big countdown has begun.
“Absolute. We are less than a hundred days away from elections in our country. And in Belgium there are three for the price of one. There will be a new federal Chamber, new regional parliaments and then we also have 22 European parliamentary seats to be allocated. It really is D-Day on June 9. Democracy Day.”
Three for the price of one. This requires a thorough approach.
“Don’t ask me yet what we’re going to do, but it will indeed be a nice sandwich. And it has already started, of course, with our opinion survey De Stemming that we rolled out yesterday and today. Readers have also been able to follow the latest campaign news in the election blog on our site and in our app for some time now. And we have a weekly newsletter in which we update everyone about what is going on in the campaign: the small and pointed moments, but of course also the issues that really matter in June.”
And you also come to podcast every week.
“Perhaps the nicest thing of all! I have already been your guest a few times, but from now on I will come by every Friday to tell you how the campaign is going, which striking statements or events color the campaign and what my colleagues from the political editorial team are working on. The big and small news, so to speak.”
Not just podcast by the way.
“Yes, I understand that you are also recording the conversation and broadcasting it via YouTube. I assume there is also a budget for a stylist and clothing budget?”
More important than that, Jan-Frederik, you don’t come alone. “No, we also invite someone every week who does not necessarily come from the Wetstraat bubble. It’s a matter of opening your ears and eyes properly. Someone who is of course interested in politics and political issues, but who does not breathe politics on a daily basis.”
Not a political animal like you. “Thanks for the compliment, I think. (laughs) Someone who looks at it from a different perspective and challenges me and the listeners.”
Is that different for you: writing an article or recording a podcast? “I notice that they complement each other nicely. It often happens to me that I leave your studio with a new idea for an article or an insight for the Machtwacht, our weekly political analysis on Fridays on the site. By the way, it continues to run. Did I already say it will be a very tasty sandwich?”
Nervous? “Not as nervous as the ladies and gentlemen on the electoral lists, I think. But of course it is exciting. We will say it a lot in the coming weeks, but these are extremely important elections. There is a lot at stake. How big will Vlaams Belang become in Flanders? Will the PVDA become the largest party in Brussels? Is there still a federal government to be created and what would it look like? The outcome could well herald a real stress test for democracy itself. As a political journalist you naturally want to be on top of that. So that our readers are also completely on board.”
