Brussels Parliament’s General Affairs Committee has voted in favour of establishing a parliamentary inquiry into the allocation of social housing by the Foyer Anderlechtois.
The decision to create the commission received six votes in favour from the majority coalition, while there were nine abstentions, including three from the Socialist Party (PS), a member of the coalition.
The motion, proposed by Imane Belguenani (Anders) and supported by the liberal Mouvement Reformateur (MR) party, seeks to investigate “irregularities within the Foyer Anderlechtois,” which manages over 3,800 social housing units in the Brussels municipality.
Opposition parties Ecolo, DéFI, and Nieuw Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA) put forward alternative proposals but these were dismissed in favour of the liberal-backed proposal.
Tight timeframe
The adopted text includes a tight timeframe of just five to six weeks for conducting hearings and issuing recommendations.
Critics, including Zakia Khattabi (Ecolo), Bernard Clerfayt, and Jonathan de Patoul (DéFI), raised concerns that the short deadline may serve to stifle deeper scrutiny of the matter.
Opposition members also criticised the majority’s amendments to the original proposal, arguing that it weakened the scope initially outlined by Anders and MR.
The original provision to investigate allegations of political interference in housing allocations was replaced with a focus on examining the role of the Brussels Housing Corporation (SLRB) in the procedures of the Foyer Anderlechtois.
PTB decries 'political manoeuvres'
Zakia Khattabi suggested the changes were a concession to the PS, which ultimately abstained from the vote.
Françoise De Smedt of the Belgian Workers Party, PTB, expressed her party’s refusal to engage in what she described as “political manoeuvres” by parties allegedly pursuing self-serving agendas at the expense of social housing.
Criticism also came from the N-VA, which advocated an inquiry broader than the Foyer Anderlechtois to examine irregularities observed across Brussels in recent years.
Coalition members rise to the defence of the inquiry
In defence of the inquiry, Imane Belguenani highlighted the importance of maintaining equal treatment for all within the social housing system, citing trust in public institutions as a key issue.
Despite concerns about the tight deadline, MR leader Loubna Azghoud assured that she would request an extension if deemed necessary during the inquiry’s proceedings.
Recent allegations reported by the VRT’s 'Pano' programme suggested that the president of the Foyer Anderlechtois may have exerted undue influence on social housing allocations through communications with others involved in the process.
