MARCH.01.2013 -UPDATE-

FEB.27.2013 – As in 2000, the mayors of Linkebeek, Wezembeek-Oppem and Kraainem got their approval refused to become mayor of their city, while having been duly elected by the citizens.

The linguistic rows in Belgium exist yet for more than 100 years. There are 6 cities in the flanders region around Brussels with a special legal statute where french-speaking citizens have particular rights. One of them is to receive administrative documents in french. There have been on this point contradictory acts taken by the federal government and the regional authority. This is the key point of the row between the flemish minister of interior Geert Bourgeois (NVA-flemish nationalists) and the non-appointed mayors. Invitations sent in french and dutch to attend the electoral contest of october 2012 were not accepted by the flemish regional government.

The 6 cities:

– Rhode Saint-genese: Pierre Rolin, appointed mayor

– Wemmel: no new mayor due to a complex political situation with two opposite groups with 12 seats + 1 independant city councillor. 1 provisory mayor appointed

– Drogenbos: Alexis Calmeyn, independant bilingual list, appointed as mayor

– Linkebeek: Damien Thiéry MP, refusal of appointment by the flemish minister, as in 2006

– Wezembeek-Oppem: François van hoobrouck d’Aspre, refusal of appointment by the flemish minister, as in 2006

– Kraainem: véronique Caprasse, refusal of appointment by the flemish minister, as in 2006 for Arnold d’Oreye de Lantremange.

The three non-appointed mayors claim they are victim of a denial of democracy, as they have duly been elected by their population and they will introduce a legal suit for the highest administrative college in Belgiam, composed by bilingual chambers. if they are still not appointed, they say they will go to the european court for human rights.

its’s important to recall that a delegation of the Council of Europe, qualified to condemn violations of human rights in Europe and give orders to the national states, made an inquiry between 2006 and 2012 and concluded that the mayors had to be appointed. The flemish regional government always refused to do it till the city elections of october 2012. Since this date, the populartions strongly endorsed the non-appointed mayors and we have to face the same situation today. A big change is that the procedure changed due to the last institutional agreements in Belgium. Now, the conseild ‘Etat, highest administrative college will have to find a solution.

Look at the interview (french) of François van Hoobrouck in TeleBruxelles on feb.28.2013

Miguel D. DESNERCK