Paul Furlan, a former minister, has passed away at the age of 60 due to cancer. He hailed from Binchois and later Thudinien where he quickly rose in his political career. Known for his simplicity and easy approach, he was an accomplished sportsman and generated sympathy with those he spoke with. Despite being offered a ministerial position, he rejected the offer and went to sleep.
Furlan started his political career as a municipal councilor in Thuin with the PS party in 1994. He went on to become a deputy in 1999 and was later elected as the mayor of Thuin in 2000. He was considered one of the young socialists who helped revive the party after the Charleroi scandal. In 2006, he chaired the Union of Towns and Municipalities of Wallonia before being called to the Walloon government. There, he held various portfolios including local authorities, housing, tourism, and energy.
Furlan worked to consolidate the fund of the communes and reform the legal ranks, while also initiating a reform of intermunicipal companies. He supported the development of tourist sites and transformed the provinces. However, he fell into trouble when the Publifin-Nethys scandal was uncovered, and his deputy chief of staff exercised a remunerated mandate in the Liège group. Despite denying any knowledge of the situation, he resigned from his position.
Furlan continued to serve as a deputy and also held the position of deputy mayor due to an exception in the decree on the decumulation between Walloon deputy and mayor for those who had a high rate of penetration in the electorate. In 2020, he stepped down as a mayor of Thuin but stated he was ready for new challenges in life.
We have just learned of the death of Paul Furlan at the age of 60, following cancer. Binchois by birth, Thudinien thereafter, he had known a rapid political ascent. Its simplicity, its easy approach had a lot to do with it.
Let me sleep !
Paul Furlan is a minister without a tie at a time when it still imposes itself. The man is like this: accomplished sportsman, simple, generating sympathy with his interlocutors. And he’s not the kind of person honors move. Thus, the evening when, very late, we learn that he will be a minister, when a journalist calls him to collect his impressions, his answer bursts out: ” There, I sleep! We’ll talk about it tomorrow morning if that’s okay with you. “.
A fast political career
He began his political career with the PS in 1994 in Thuin where he became a municipal councilor in the opposition. In 1999, he stood in the regional elections. He is elected deputy. From there, everything goes very quickly. He became mayor of Thuin in 2000. He was then presented as one of those young socialists embodying the revival of the party after the Charleroi business. In 2006, he chaired the Union of Towns and Municipalities of Wallonia. Three years later, he gave up the post: he had just been called to the Walloon government. He will hold the portfolios of local authorities, housing, tourism, energy.
His projects
Without much noise and without wave, in the Walloon Government, he sees to the consolidation of the fund of the communes, to the transformation of the provinces; it reforms the legal ranks; it sets up the partial decumulation of functions between Walloon deputy and member of a municipal college; he supports the development of tourist sites and initiates a reform of intermunicipal companies, an area he knows well.
The Publifin Pitfall
It is however on the case of an intermunicipal company that he will fall. At the time when the Publifin-Nethys scandal broke out, we realized that his deputy chief of staff was exercising a remunerated mandate in the Liège group. Paul Furlan needs to explain himself. He will do so in simple terms that suggest a form of naivety: ” Was I aware? No. Could I have known? Yes. Did I seek to know? No “. He draws the conclusions, resigns and becomes a deputy, a position he held until today.
Deputy Mayor
The decree on the decumulation between Walloon deputy and mayor tolerated an exception for those who achieved a high rate of penetration in the electorate. This is what allowed Paul Furlan to continue to exercise both functions.
However, in 2020, he believes that it is time for him to give up his mayoral scarf to, he says, set himself other challenges. Thuin was acquired by him. But, he said, a life without risk is a life without salt and pepper.
The passing of Paul Furlan is a loss for the world of politics in Belgium. He may have had a short time in the limelight, but his impact and contributions cannot be denied. His simple, yet effective approach to politics won him many supporters, and his quick ascent in the political world was a testament to his abilities. Though his career was cut short due to the Publifin-Nethys scandal, his dedication to his position and willingness to take responsibility for his actions serve as an example to others. As we bid farewell to this accomplished sportsman and respected politician, let us take comfort in the legacies he left behind and the impact he made during his time with us. Rest in peace, Paul Furlan.