In 1991, he chose "the most important land is the innerland" ("het belangrijkste land is het binnenland") as his election slogan, which was clearly based on the Vlaams Blok motto "the own people first" ("eigen volk eerst"). In 1994, he made security his main election campaign issue, just like the VB already did for many years. Because of this modus operandi - which was not at all successful in Antwerp - he was called "Black Beysen" ("Zwartje Beysen") in certain media.