Jos van Rey, the former VVD senator who is facing corruption charges, has been elected to Limburg provincial council.

Van Rey, who has since set up his own party Volkspartij Limburg (Limburg people’s party), was last on the party’s candidate list but was elected on preference votes. The person at the end of a party list, known as a lijstduwer, is usually there to show support for the party but not to win an election.

Van Rey, who was given 3,801 preference votes, must now decide if he wants to accept the seat or not.

A former alderman in Roermond, Van Rey is facing charges of bribery, election fraud and money laundering.