A meeting of Namur's City Council ended abruptly on Tuesday evening after opposition members walked out in protest over the refusal by the majority to debate a motion in support of the people of Lebanon.
The disruption occurred at around 11 p.m. when the centrist/liberal majority challenged the admissibility of the motion, submitted by Ecolo, arguing that it was unrelated to communal interests.
A vote to decide whether to debate the motion was held without granting the opposition an opportunity to discuss the imposed procedures.
In response, the leftist Parti du Travail de Belgique (PTB) group left the room, claiming censorship. They were followed by Parti Socialiste and Ecolo councillors.
The walkout brought attendance below the legal quorum of 24 councillors required for proceedings. With several majority members absent, including Mayor Maxime Prévot — currently serving as Foreign Minister — Council President Vincent Maillen (Mouvement Réformateur) was forced to adjourn the meeting.
The motion made reference to the Middle East conflict involving Lebanon, which escalated on 2 March when Hezbollah launched missiles at Israel in response to US/Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, on 28 February.
Reacting to Tuesday night's incident, acting Mayor Charlotte Bazelaire (Les Engagés) criticised the opposition for allegedly disregarding the outcome of a democratic vote. She expressed solidarity with the Lebanese people while emphasising a commitment to adhering to local democratic procedures and council regulations.
Bazelaire stressed her intention to focus debates on matters within the council's jurisdiction, urging respect for institutional boundaries. She noted that while some motions unrelated to Namur had been approved in the past, the majority preferred to address issues that directly concern the municipality.
A new session will be scheduled to address the unfinished business.
Walloon legislation still requires a quorum for that meeting to proceed.
