This is particularly the case at Sambreville. However, it was one of the municipalities where the blockage seemed total. In question, the announcement of the PS and its outgoing mayor Jean-Charles Luperto to choose the opposition. There was only one solution left: an impossible majority between the ENSEMBLE list – the MR and Engagés cartel emerged as the winner on October 13 – and the PTB. Except that a twist in the situation provided the key. One of the elected representatives of the PS, Rachid Boukamir – 6th in terms of preferred votes among the Socialists – turns his back on his party to sit as an independent and form a majority with Ensemble. It will therefore be Bordon Olivier who would become mayor.
Suspense also ended at Verviers. The announcement came this Thursday evening: the Ensemble Verviers list (15 seats out of 37) – which brings together the MR, Les Engagés and Nouveau Verviers – is joining forces with the PS-IC (10 seats). The forces present are the same as during the previous mandate. The difference is that the balance of power is reversed. It will be Maxime Degey (MR) who will become mayor.
Not far from there, Troozthe majority was sealed this Friday. The outgoing mayor Fabien Beltran (PS) remains in charge. Its Ensemble Bourgmestre list (9 seats out of 19) has joined forces, as it has for 12 years, with EcoVa (3 seats).
HAS Comines-Warneton also a majority was found. The “Action” and “Horizon” lists reached an agreement on Thursday evening. It is Jean-Jacques Pieters (The Engaged) from the Action list who will become mayor. This coalition, called “Emeraude”, pushes back the ENSEMBLE-ECOLO-MCI cartel, of which outgoing mayor Alice Leeuwerck is a member, in opposition.
On the side from Estinnes also a majority was announced this Friday. The outgoing mayor, Aurore Turner (Les Engagés), continues with a third mandate thanks to a coalition of its EMC list with the PS. Together, they hold 12 seats out of the 19 on the municipal council.
Still this Friday, it’s Bernissart that the announcement came. This will be a fourth term for Roger Vanderstraeten (PS) which associates with the MR-6tem-ic list.
Same on the side of Berloz. While an agreement seemed complicated to find between the two lists IC and Ensemble, which came out with 6 and 5 seats in the elections, the announcement came this Friday evening. The two combine and Alain Happaerts (Les Engagés) becomes mayor. Qualia (2 seats) was expected to be the list tipping the scales but will therefore go into opposition.
Head to the eastern cantons with the commune of Raeren. According to GrenzEcho, the outgoing majority should come back. The outgoing mayor Mario Pitz (Les Engagés), which won the elections of October 13 with 9 seats out of 21 for its CSL list, continues its collaboration with Écolo (3 seats).
Nearly a week after the elections, certain municipalities are still looking for a majority and a mayor. Between knots difficult to resolve and potential solutions, an update on the negotiations.
PTB as a solution?
In several municipalities where majorities have not yet been found, it is the PTB which could hold the keys. In 2018, the PS was very reluctant to negotiate with the Marxist party, but the situation has changed.
In the Brussels region, PS and PTB are already working hand in hand Molenbeek but is looking for a third partner to consolidate their majority of just one small seat. Things are less advanced at Forestbut the PTB is indeed part of the negotiations. Because if the MR-DéFI list came first on October 13, the PS wants to seize the mayorate. To achieve this, the socialists negotiate with Écolo and therefore the PTB. Enough to provoke the ire of liberals, but not only that. Outgoing mayor Mariam El Hamidine (Eco) announced this Thursday that she was leaving her party following discussions with the PTB. If the coalition succeeds, it would be the socialist Charles Spapens at the head of Forest.
In Wallonia too, the PTB could gain majorities. This is particularly the case in Herstal. Because Frédéric Daerden’s PS lost its absolute majority. If the PS remains the first party with 17 seats out of 35, it will have to find a partner. The mayor has only two choices – the PTB (11 seats) and the MR (7 seats) – and says he is open to both parties.
To a lesser extent, the PTB could also seek a place in the majority in Seraing, Mons and Liège. For Seraing, Déborah Géradon’s PS has an absolute majority but would like to open it to a partner, because it is playing for one seat. Only choice for her: the PTB or the MR-Engaged list. In Mons, Nicolas Martin announced discussions with Écolo in order to renew the outgoing majority, but did not close the door to the PTB. The PS is missing one seat to have a majority. As for Liège, it still seems more compromised. Willy Demeyer would rather opt for a renewal of the current majority with the MR in view of the tensions between socialists and Marxists in the fiery city.
Impasse ?
In other municipalities, the knot seems more difficult to untangle. HAS Spathe MR lost its absolute majority. It was Alternative-Plus (A +) which took first place (8 seats out of 21). Favoring the Pluriel list first! by Alda Greoli (Les Engagés), and its 6 seats, A + saw its “repeated attempts at dialogue […] rejected” For now. So there remains an A+ coalition with the MRuc (7 seats), not obvious given the tensions, or an MRuc-Pluriel alliance!.
Few prospects currently Malmedy also. Two lists are tied with 11 seats: Alternative, of outgoing mayor Jean-Paul Bastin, and ECM. Either the two lists combine. Let the list progress, and its only elected Ersel Kaynak, gives the crown to one of the two.
In the capital, Schaerbeek is totally in the dark. The PS claims the mayorate with Hasan Koyuncu. The MR categorically refuses. However, both have 10 seats. A tripartite is the minimum to obtain a majority. It remains to find the right trio. Because five other lists can tip the balance to one side or the other, including Écolo, the PTB, DéFI and Fouad Ahidar.
On the side of Pont-à-CellesPS and MR have 7 seats, but the Liberals have the upper hand and are not closing any doors. Sitting together would be one of the most stable solutions, because a coalition of one of the two with Les Engagés and Écolo would only have one marginal seat.
Finally, at Ramillies et Remicourtnegotiations are continuing and should soon lead to an agreement. On the Remicourt side, the majority is formed, but should not be official until November 6.
Will we have to vote again in certain municipalities without a majority?
If discussions are progressing in many municipalities, uncertainty reigns in others. A question therefore arises: what happens if no solution is found? To answer this question, we must turn to the code of local democracy.
First thing to know, there is a deadline to find an arrangement. “The draft pact must be submitted on the second Monday of November“, they explain to us from the Public Service of Wallonia (SPW). Problem, it falls on November 11, a public holiday. “It can’t be postponed, so it’s Friday, November 8th at the latest.” Once the agreement has been submitted, it is put to a vote at the first municipal council on December 2.
If, however, no draft pact has been submitted, “the code provides that if three months after the validation of the elections – which will undoubtedly be done towards the end of November – there is still no pact, the Walloon government can appoint a commissioner“. He will be responsible for managing the current affairs of the municipality until an agreement is reached.
And finding an agreement is the only solution. “What is clear is that we cannot vote again” in such a situation. A new election, although partial, is possible in certain very specific cases. This could be the case in particular in Daverdisse, if one of the municipal councilors were to leave his post.
In Berloz, the Qualia list (2 seats) must decide between IC (6) and Ensemble (5), neck and neck. Unless there is a ‘super-coalition’. But this seemed impossible before the election.
