Brussels Minister for Local Government Ahmed Laaouej (PS) has suggested placing the municipality of Saint-Josse-ten-Node under the mandatory supervision of the Brussels-Capital Region, La Libre Belgique reported on Wednesday.
Last week, Minister Laaouej sent a letter to multiple Brussels cabinets proposing to initiate this supervisory procedure and take control of the municipality.
The financial situation of Saint-Josse looks particularly worrying. Last year, the municipality recorded a cumulative deficit of more than €30 million, with a deficit of nearly €14 million in 2024 alone.
Saint-Josse has already received €21 million in support to prevent it from becoming unable to make payments. However, budgetary needs were estimated at €57 million by the end of 2025.
On the BX1 channel, State Secretary Karine Lalieux (PS) confirmed that a procedure initiated by the previous Minister for Local Government, Bernard Clerfayt (DéFI), is coming to an end around this time, following months of analysis by the administration. "We cannot accept that a municipality simply does whatever it wants," said Lalieux.
The Council of Ministers is expected to make a decision on Thursday.
The initiated procedure — which allows the government to deploy commissioners who gather information or fulfil an obligation of the municipality on its behalf — has been applied only once before, namely in 1976 in Schaerbeek.
Minister Laaouej, who has long been at odds with Mayor Emir Kir, reportedly has the support of coalition partner MR.
Kir was expelled from the PS in 2020 following a meeting with two far-right Turkish mayors.
In addition to the financial problems, an audit in February also pointed to serious shortcomings at the Saint-Josse social housing agency, according to Lalieux.
She has forwarded the file directly to the Public Prosecutor's Office, which has led to an investigation.
