Belgium/Communal Council in Verviers: a motion for a single item on the agenda

A new episode and perhaps an important step towards the installation of a new majority in Verviers: the municipal council meets this evening at the request of a third of the councillors, as provided for in the Walloon code of local democracy.

There is only one item on the agenda: The withdrawal of the mixed motion of no confidence, voted on September 21 by the Communal Council; a motion that was both collective towards the Communal College as a whole, and individual as it was aimed at Mayor Muriel Targnion, the President of the CPAS Assan Aydin and an Alderman. The motion also concerned the renunciation of the post of Mayor of the Socialist Aldermen and Councillors Malik Ben Achour, Antoine Lukoki and Said Naji.

Following this motion, an appeal to the Council of State had been introduced by Muriel Targnion and alderman Alexandre Loffet, both excluded from the PS, which had been partially favorable to them; This had the effect of removing from office the short-lived mayor Jean-François Istasse, chosen by the PS to replace Muriel Targnion; the latter had then resumed her post.

Since then, a new majority agreement has been concluded including the PS, without its three dissidents, the MR, the Nouveau Verviers as well as the cdH, until then in opposition. But for this majority to be installed, with the socialist Malik Ben Achour as mayor, the motion voted by the town council on 21 September had to be withdrawn before another one could be put forward.

A necessary majority of 19 votes

For the withdrawal to be voted on, a simple majority of votes is needed, i.e. 19 councillors, without taking into account a majority in each political group. The question is whether there will be 19 councillors to approve this withdrawal because a fact could change the deal: the council tonight will be held "in person" at the Espace Duesberg for the first time since September, following a 4 to 3 vote within the Municipal College. Some see it as a political manoeuvre to avoid reaching the quorum of 19 and it seems that there is a danger; the PS could have two or even three absentees due to illness or contact with Covid, the liberal alderman Freddy Breuwer, who would lose theThe PS could have two or even three absentees due to illness or Covid contact, the liberal alderman Freddy Breuwer, who would lose the land use planning in the case of a new majority, would apparently not be in the best of shape, and several councillors would still be feeling their way, such as Bernard Piron, elected on the cdH list but who sits as an independent.
In short, we will count ourselves in the Espace Duesberg this evening.

Depending on the vote, what will happen next?

If the withdrawal of the motion is voted, a new mixed motion will have to be adopted: collective against the current college, and individual against the mayor Muriel Targnion and the president of the CPAS Assan Aydin. This motion would then mark the support for the installation of the new majority.
If the withdrawal is not voted on this evening, the same item will be put back on the agenda of the local council of 26 April; it remains to be seen whether this will be in person or by videoconference.

A council without alderman Loffet

In a press release published this Tuesday evening, the alderman of finance Alexandre Loffet, announced that he will not participate in this council. He is surprised by the special municipal council, described as a masquerade. "It is the first time that the city has ever been involved in the development of a new economy, and it is the first time that the city has ever been involved in the development of a new economy.

Source: www.rtbf.be/