Schaerbeek, despite the growing attractiveness of certain districts, remains the sixth poorest in Belgium. It has a high unemployment rate and rising rent prices. Bernard Clerfayt had nevertheless managed, in 24 years as mayor, to improve the image of a town that was once a pariah, had become attractive again, and where a mosaic of diverse populations managed to coexist.
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The situation deteriorated after his departure for the Brussels government, in 2019, when he left the helm of the municipality to Cécile Jodogne. The town has become poorer with Covid. Schaerbeek seems to be on a bad slope again. Bernard Clerfayt, after 5 years in the Brussels government, finally says he wants to take things in hand: he wants to be mayor of Schaerbeek, and nothing else.
Politically, however, his situation in the commune is more precarious than ever. With 31% of the votes collected in 2018, he a priori has a good margin compared to Écolo/Groen (19%) and the PS (18%). However, these figures are misleading.
Gold changed to lead
Since he left Place Collignon for the Botanique Tower (headquarters of his ministry), 5 years ago, politically, the gold that Bernard Clerfayt had in his hands seems to have turned into lead… Défi has not obtained only 8% in the regional vote, on the territory of his municipality, with barely 1,023 votes in preference for Bernard Clerfayt… A disavowal.
The municipal election follows another dynamic, but this one, so far, is not much better. Only 4 of the 12 candidates who led the mayor’s list 6 years ago are still present. Former alderman Michel De Herde had to leave office after being charged with rape, while alderman Ecolo Sihame Haddioui had also filed a complaint against him for indecent assault. The president of the CPAS, Sophie Quarton, chose not to run, as did the former alderman Lorraine de Fierlant. The majority suffered a hemorrhage with the departure of municipal councilors Emel Köse and Yusuf Yildiz (who then joined the Engagés), the resignations of Kevin Likaj and Fatima El Khattabi, then the MR’s takeover bid for Sadik Koksal, then Bernard Guillaume .
In September 2023, Bernard Clerfayt lost his majority on the municipal council.
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Ritual slaughter
Certain files risk weighing down the mayor’s team. Ecolo-Groen risks dragging Good Move down like a ball and chain, while Défi’s proposal to ban slaughter without stunning has angered Muslim voters. “Will the candidates on the Mayor’s List lose a few seats or crash? That’s the whole question”points out a political opponent. “Bernard Clerfayt remains a political animal. He is capable of a comeback“, objects a socialist.
During his career as mayor, he has in fact defeated more than one competitor, reaching the peak of his glory in 2006, after defeating Laurette Onkelinx (PS). Among its competitors, no one risks burying it too quickly. Perhaps, also, because no one really stands out to succeed the son of Georges Clerfayt, the former president of the FDF.
Ritual political slaughter
Audrey Henry or Hasan Koyuncu?
Four or five lists (the Mayor’s List, the MR/Engaged list, the PS, the PTB and Écolo/Groen) could be found in a pocket handkerchief. “It will take at least three parties to have a majority. MR/Engagés and the PS can ally with Ecolo, but these two parties wanted the death of Good Move, so it seems complicated to me. In fact, Bernard Clerfayt is hardly bypassable, unless the PS and Ecolo take the PTB”, observes someone close to Bernard Clerfayt.
The possibility of an alliance between the Mayor’s List, the PS and the MR/Engaged list is mentioned, even if all the parties swear not to have concluded a pre-electoral agreement. With which mayor in charge? Given their scores in the regional elections (18% for the MR in Schaerbeek and 10% for the Engagés), all eyes are on the MR-Engagés list, which has made cleanliness and security its priorities. The MR and the Engagés, however, start from very far away, at the municipal level (6% for the MR in 2018, and 7% for the CDH-CD&V in 2018).
The impact of the departure of Hadja Lahbib, who gave up running for Schaerbeek, is also difficult to assess.
Surprise in Schaerbeek: Hadja Lahbib announces her withdrawal from the head of the list, she is replaced by Audrey Henry
Because, even if the new head of the list Audrey Henry enjoys a high level of esteem within the MR, there is not yet any indication of her real popularity. “I am a candidate for mayor. There are a lot of disappointed people in Schaerbeek, following the absence of Bernard Clerfayt in recent years, and people want change”assure Audrey Henry.
The PS, which obtained the best score in the municipality on June 9 (24%), also has great ambitions, even if the head of the PS list hardly impresses its competitors, despite a better score than Bernard Clerfayt in Schaerbeek, to the regional ones. “Hasan Koyuncu was not great as a municipal councilor, so as mayor of a municipality of 130,000 inhabitants, I have doubts“, snaps a personality from the Mayor’s List.
Traditionally, in Schaerbeek, the socialists, however, perform less well in the municipal elections than in the Region. For the PS, integrating the majority after 20 opposition would already be considered a victory.
The PTB’s defeatist speech
The PTB, given its score in June in the municipality (2nd in Schaerbeek, a little behind the PS), can also aim for first place. “The ambition is not to be mayor but to be strong to influence politics in Schaerbeek, and obtain radical change.” tempers Leila Lahssaini, head of the PTB list, who places the housing crisis at the center of her concerns.
Why such caution from the PTB? “We think we have less chance of obtaining a favorable balance of power in Schaerbeek, because the municipality has been evolving in a right-wing balance of power for years. We must not be too naive. This is why we are putting more focus in municipalities like Saint Gilles or Molenbeek“, explains Giovanni Bordonaro, president of the PTB in the Brussels Capital Region. This speech from the PTB, a bit defeatist, is surprising. It will not surprise Vincent Vanhalewyn (Ecolo), first alderman and mayoral candidate, who “doubt their will to climb“.
Ecolo, certainly, lost feathers in the regional elections. “But these regional results are biased by the absence of Groen who will be with us in the municipal elections“, underlines Vincent Vanhalewyn. The Schaerbeek list is also one of the strongest, among the Greens, with the presence of MP Farida Tahar, Isabelle Durant and Secretary of State Barbara Trachte.” The game will be very open. The only certainty is that this will be the end of the era of Bernard Clerfayt’s omnipotence because his list will no longer outrank everyone.” reprimanded Vincent Vanhalewyn. For our part, the priorities remain the same: improve the living environment, via public space and greening, and pursue an ambitious policy on a social level.”
Finally, many eyes are on Team Ahidar, which pulled off a surprise in the regional elections. The list led by former Défi alderman Mehmet Bilge could reshuffle the cards in Schaerbeek, by weakening the PS and the PTB, after having pillaged Défi.