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2023-11-30 08:06:00
The deadline draws near and tension rises. This Thursday, the Anderlecht municipal council will have to vote on a motion presented by Ecolo-Groen and supported by the PTB aimed at authorizing the wearing of convictional symbols for municipal administration staff. A subject that divides even within the majority since the partners of the Greens (PS-Vooruit, Défi, Les Engagés) have announced that they do not support the motion.
The calm debates that this subject should have required quickly transformed into a political game between parties. But pressure also comes from outside. This Tuesday evening, several dozen elected officials received an email which worried more than one: “Thursday, make the right choice. We’re tired of racists. We will not forget you, we swear.”
Some elected officials even mention promises of attacks, or even death threats. “I have a family, obviously I’m afraid for our safety. I appeal to the mayor to ensure our security, either by a secret vote or perhaps even rejecting the municipal council.”
Wearing the veil in the administration: in Anderlecht, Écolo sets the majority on fire by trying to pass an authorization “without exception”
”Good Move, it was a laugh compared to that”
“We literally fear for our safety,” continues another elected official, also the recipient of the email. “There wasn’t just one message. We receive hundreds of them per day: ‘make the right choice! Vote well! We’ll all be watching you!’ There had already been threats and pressure at the time of the Good Move Cureghem episode. But Good Move was a laugh compared to that. It was confined to Anderlecht, to a local issue. There, we have associations with obscure goals or individuals who are not even from Anderlecht who harass us. With this motion brought in this way (editor’s note, many criticize Ecolo for “breaking through” by “rushing” the debate for electoral purposes), Ecolo has put us all in danger… and how far can this go? We are told that there will be police officers on the council… but we have a life following the council,” slips another councilor.
Bulletin secret
With regard to the internal regulations of the municipal council, the secret ballot, demanded by some, does not seem to be possible for a motion. And since the subject sometimes divides even within the parties, a nominal vote risks being requested. “That would be unacceptable. That would literally put us in danger.”
Voting by name can only be requested if a third of the councilors so wish. “We don’t want to get to that point and we still hope that a consensus will emerge before the council meeting,” explains the head of the Ecolo group Shahin Mohammad. Another option, in the arsenal of internal regulations: behind closed doors. “By a two-thirds majority of the members present, the council may, in the interest of public order, and because of the serious inconveniences which would result from publicity, decide that the meeting will not be public.” A “two thirds” complex to achieve given the atmosphere in the assembly.
On the mayor’s side, we are currently studying the modalities which would make it possible to secure the debates.
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