2023-09-26 18:08:00
In Kraainem, alderwoman Elisabeth de Foestraets-d’Ursel (MR) knows the town hall like the back of her hand. Walking with her files from her office to the college room, she tells us the history of the place. Like other local agents, she has a defined list of skills to exercise. Its scabinal responsibilities are not the lightest: environment, town planning, French-speaking culture, legal affairs, religion and public cleanliness.
The difference between her and another alderman from Flanders, Brussels or Wallonia: Elisabeth de Foestraets-d’Ursel is an opposition alderman. A quirk specific to certain entities. “In our community with facilities, the population directly chooses its aldermen,” says the liberal.
Little explanations. In almost all municipalities, a majority emerges in the municipal council and this majority group designates its mayor and aldermen, as is done in parliament for ministers. In Kraainem and other municipalities with facilities (see opposite), aldermen are directly “elected” according to the number of votes, regardless of the majority or the opposition.
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“The disagreement remains exceptional”
Alderman in Kraainem since 2006, Elisabeth de Foestraets-d’Ursel, who entered politics through the fight against air pollution, had two first mandates within a majority. But, in 2018, new configuration following the elections. His MR-Défi list obtained eleven seats. But a counter-coalition is forming, led by the current mayor Bertrand Waucquez (independent). In the college, from now on, there are two aldermen and a “Kraainem Unie” mayor from the majority, three “Défi + MR + Ind” aldermen from the opposition.
But, with this configuration, how does the municipality function on a day-to-day basis? “The college operates by consensus and the majority of files pass this way. The disagreement remains exceptional. But, in this case, the point in question goes to the council.”
Example of disagreements: budgets, investments in schools, the land use plan, linguistic questions or even a recent police regulation governing the use of parks, resulting in fines. “We were opposed. We want a pleasant community, not a police state.”
A fine of €150 for those who walk in public parks outside opening hours: the measure divides Kraainem and Wezembeek-Oppem
Paralysis if no “constructive attitude”
With this type of system, blockage and municipal paralysis could easily occur. Suppose that an opposition alderman sees his files constantly thwarted due to lack of a majority, and then ends up blocking progress himself within the framework of his powers. A scenario far from being the case in Kraainem.
“We have a constructive attitude,” assures the liberal, who also considers the atmosphere of cohabitation with the majority of Bertrand Waucquez “good”. “We are not always on the same wavelengths. But collaboration is possible. Our goal is not for the situation to be tense. We were elected by the population and we therefore want to provide them with the service to which they are entitled.”
With hindsight, Elisabeth de Foestraets-d’Ursel defends the system… and even prefers it to the traditional system because of the direct election of members of the local executive. “It’s a good system because residents can directly choose their aldermen. The system respects democratic choice. In other municipalities, you can cast the most votes and find yourself in the minority, without any alderman.” A scenario which, for example, occurred in Koekelberg in 2018. The MR list won the most seats but a PS-Ecolo-CDH counter-coalition was set up, throwing the former mayor into opposition. Philippe Pivin, yet the municipality’s first score on the biggest list.
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“Not an ideal system”
But where does this inexplicable oddity of opposition aldermen come from? The formula dates back to the 80s and the third state reform against a backdrop of tension in the Fourons, political scientist Pascal Delwit tells us. “This system made it possible, at the time, to overcome the linguistic divide.” A way of forcing a compromise between French-speaking and Dutch-speaking communities with facilities, and avoiding unilingual colleges of aldermen in the event of an absolute majority of a French-speaking Union list, for example.
Comines: the opposition is better represented than the majority
In total, eight municipalities are affected by this measure: the six municipalities with Rand facilities (Wemmel, Kraainem, Wezembeek-Oppem, Rhode-Saint-Genèse, Linkebeek and Drogenbos), Fourons and Comines-Warneton. In all these entities, except Kraainem, Comines-Warneton and Fourons, the “majority” includes all the fractions having obtained positions in the aldermanic college, therefore avoiding this quirky system of opposition aldermen.
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But, in 2023, forty years after the Fourons crisis, is this surrealist system right to exist? “From an intellectual point of view, it is not an ideal system. But it seems difficult to reach this balance point. And since 88, it has worked without drama,” observes the political scientist.
Pascal Delwit also recalls that in Brussels (and in Flanders for a little while longer), aldermen can find themselves without skills and placed in opposition. The representative, who cannot be removed from office by another, may continue to sit on the alderman’s panel, even without attribution. An equally surreal situation.
Tubize: the skills of alderman Mourad Abdelali (DéFI) withdrawn
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