City councillors from the Mouvement Réformateur (MR) and Les Engagés parties are calling for the suspension of Lotfi Mostefa (Parti Socialiste) as alderman for housing and head of Anderlecht Haard, the institution in charge of social housing in Anderlecht.
The two parties, both members of Anderlecht's governing coalition, want Mostefa suspended until the conclusion of a judicial investigation into alleged corruption. That investigation is being handled by the Central Office for the Repression of Corruption (OCRC).
According to a recent report by the VRT programme 'Pano,' voice messages and other communications suggest that Mostefa may have influenced the allocation of social housing.
In light of these revelations, several parties in the Brussels Parliament have proposed forming a commission of inquiry. This request is scheduled to be reviewed by Parliament’s General Affairs Committee on 1 June.
Mostefa had requested to be heard by the Commission on Housing on Thursday, but his appearance is not included on the agenda for that meeting.
The councillors from MR and Les Engagés, who govern alongside the Parti Socialiste in Anderlecht, criticised the mayor’s response to the issue during a local council meeting on 21 May, claiming it lacked both clarity and collaboration with the members of the council.
In a public statement, the aldermen expressed concern over media reports, saying these have increased public mistrust in the leadership of Anderlecht Haard. They argue that a suspension is essential to restore calm and ensure good governance while the judicial inquiry runs its course.
They also stressed their zero tolerance for inappropriate behaviour, such as intimidation or threats, in connection with the case.
Respect, dignity, and democratic principles must remain the foundation of political and communal management, the councillors emphasized in their statement.
