The mayor of the Brussels municipality of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Catherine Moureaux, will remain absent until at least 8 January, according to a letter from the municipality's secretary.
In the meantime, acting mayor Amet Gjanaj will continue to take over her duties.
Moureaux has been absent from the Molenbeek town hall since 19 October, when she did not show up to the meeting of city councillors the day after a turbulent municipal council. In late November, it transpired that she would not return until at least Monday 11 December.
Now, it seems that Moureaux will not return to the city hall this year, according to a letter from acting Molenbeek town clerk Nathalie Vandeput and confirmed by her office to Bruzz.
Moureaux is scheduled to make her comeback on Monday 8 January, just after the Christmas holidays. Until then, PS party colleague and city councillor Amet Gjanaj will remain acting mayor.
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It is a difficult political period for Moureaux, following a number of complaints, incidents and feuds within her coalition and the Molenbeek municipal administration in recent months. Her personal and governance styles have been criticised on several occasions.
On Friday, Moureaux herself spoke on her Instagram page of "human pressure, not to say intimidation" to justify her sick notes. At the time, she indicated that she would return "soon." Whether Moureaux intends to succeed herself as Molenbeek's mayor in next year's elections is not yet clear.
