The Mayor of Ghent, Mathias De Clercq, will not resume his duties until the end of August, according to his office on Monday.
Following medical advice, De Clercq has extended his sick leave and will miss the Ghent Festivities this year.
He shared a personal message on social media, stating, “On advice from my doctors, I must completely step away from work for the coming weeks. This is not an easy decision, especially in these challenging times for our city.”
De Clercq has been absent in recent weeks due to health issues aggravated by political tensions over the city’s budget-cutting plans.
In his message, he thanked those who supported him, saying, “Their kindness truly helps me and gives me strength to recover. We are all just human, and sometimes a pause is the best way to return stronger.”
During his absence, other council members will temporarily assume mayoral duties. Councillor Astrid De Bruycker will step in until 16 July, after which Councillor Hafsa El-Bazioui will take over. El-Bazioui returned early from holiday last week to cover for De Clercq during an additional council meeting about the budget cuts.
De Clercq concluded his message with a request: “Take good care of each other.”
