As in Flanders and Brussels voters in Wallonia are also voting today in the local elections. Like in Brussels (but not in Flanders) Walloon voters are still obliged by law to turn up at the polling station. The Walloon political journalist Christophe Deborsu told VRT News that the question on everyone’s lips in Wallonia is whether the Francophone liberal party MR will make major gains in the region’s cities.
All eyes are on Mons (Hainaut province) where the Francophone liberal leader Georges-Louis Bouchez to become mayor.
If Mr Bouchez were to become Mayor of what is the provincial capital of Hainaut Province, it would be the first time in 71 years that the city’s Mayor would be from a party other than the socialists. The current Mayor of Mons Nicolas Martin (PS) has already said he does not want to work with Mr Bouchez. If he is to become Mayor Mr Bouchez will need to find a third party (the greens) to join the liberals and the centrists in a new municipal coalition.
Change afoot in Charleroi?
Charleroi is the largest city in Wallonia and the home of the leader of the Francophone socialist party PS. The outgoing federal minster Thomas Demine heads the Francophone socialist list there.
Mr Magnette is third on the list and has already said that he has no ambition to stay on as Mayor. Christophe Deborsu doesn’t believe that the socialist will lose Charleroi. However, the liberals are likely to put in a strong performance with a former socialist Anthony Dufrane featuring on their list.
As regards small municipalities that might be worth keeping an eye on, Christophe Deborsu says that Beauvechain (Walloon Brabant) is interesting as the Francophone green party Ecolo has a number of Flemish greens on its list. The municipality is on the border with Flemish Brabant and between 25% and 30% of the population are Dutch speakers.