A total of 16 mayors of various Brussels municipalities were sworn in on Friday morning. Several of the mayors are returning to office, but there are also some new faces.
In Brussels, 16 of the 19 communes have now chosen a mayor following the local elections on 13 October. These 16 mayors took the oath of office on Friday in front of outgoing Brussels Minister for Local Authorities, Bernard Clerfayt.
12 mayors are extending their term: Anderlecht's Fabrice Cumps (PS); Auderghem's Sophie de Vos (DéFI); Christian Lamouline in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe (Les Engagés); the City of Brussels' Philippe Close (PS); Vincent De Wolf in Etterbeek (MR); Ganshoren's Jean-Paul Van Laethem (Les Engagés); Claire Vandevivere in Jette (Les Engagés); Catherine Moureaux in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean (PS); Jean Spinette in Saint-Gilles (PS); Uccle's Boris Dilliès (MR); Olivier Maingain in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert (DéFI); and Benoît Cerexhe for Woluwe-Saint-Pierre (Les Engagés).
The four new faces are Alessandro Zappala (PS) in Evere, Charles Spapens (PS) in Forest, Romain de Reusme (PS) in Ixelles, and David Leisterh (MR) Watermael-Boitsfort. Just three of the mayors who were sworn in on Friday are women.
During the ceremony, Maingain and Cerexhe called for unity among the mayors to address looming financial and institutional "threats" facing local government.
Not all mayors sworn in
In three Brussels communes, issues have arisen preventing a mayor from taking the oath.
In Koekelberg, administrative checks are ongoing concerning the recent appointment of Olivia P'Tito (PS). She has been Director General of Bruxelles Formation since 2013 and will have to leave this position to take office as mayor.
In Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, elections were annulled due to proxy voting irregularities. This means voters living in the municipality will have to head to the polls again. A re-run of elections will be held before 10 January 2025.
In Schaerbeek, coalition negotiations continue. The mayoral race is fiercely contested between PS and MR, while Ecolo and the Liste du Bourgmestre remain in the running for a coalition.
