**In principle, Gerda Postelmans (Ecolo/Groen) should become the next alderman for culture in Sint-Pieters-Woluwe/Woluwe-Saint-Pierre. However, both Défi and the CDH of mayor Benoît Cerexhe are opposed. Postelmans is too Dutch-speaking for the post.**
Current alderman for culture Raphaël Van Breugel (Ecolo/Groen) recently decided to withdraw from politics. The local Green Party elected Gerda Postelmans as his successor. This Tuesday, the College of Aldermen must confirm the appointment in principle.
However, there appears to be a hitch. Gerda Postelmans, who is described by her local chapter as trilingual (Dutch, French, English) and who has lived in the Brussels region since the 1970s, is considered by various partners from the majority to be too Dutch-speaking.
**Une sensibilité néerlandophone**
For the record: in the municipality, which for a long time was a bastion of the FDF, there is already an alderman for Dutch-speaking affairs (including culture) in Helmut De Vos (CD&V).
“Mrs Postelmans is welcome in the college, but not with these powers,” says mayor Benoît Cerexhe in La Libre. “When it comes to community affairs, I understand the desire to have a French-speaking alderman. Mrs Postelmans may have taken the oath in French, but she has une sensibilité néerlandophone (ed.). Our partners would do better to redistribute the powers.”
Défi, which has long made defending the French speakers its trademark, also takes this line.
In the opposition, Alexia Bertrand (MR) also questions the choice. “I was always in favour of Dutch-speaking aldermen being given more powers than just Dutch-speaking matters,” she says in flawless Dutch. “But with community responsibilities it is more difficult, especially since there is already an alderman for Dutch-speaking culture.”
“It’s not just about language skills, but also about cultural references. We have a large cultural centre where, for example, a lot of French-language music is programmed. How well does she know that French-speaking culture?”
Gerda Postelmans herself and first alderwoman Caroline Lhoir could not be reached for a reaction on Tuesday morning. In La Libre, Lhoir explained that Benoît Cerexhe had known about Postelmans’ nomination for ten days, but had not raised any objections.
Shit like this is why people in Flanders might have a negative view about Brussels…
If say N-VA would refuse a person from an immigrant background in some town council for not being Vlaemsch enough, that shit would make headlines for weeks.
There are Flemish speakers in that commune? Would never have guessed.
One has to think how fucked up this country is if politicians decide that somebody is to much influenced by the other side to understand their culture.
LOL yeah francophones still being as discriminatory as ever in de rand & brussel
So basically, you get outraged because an elected municipal councillor is « too Flemish » for a French speaking county. Were you also outraged when elected mayors were « too French » for their Flemish speaking counties?
I expect a shitstorm but yet, this is quite funny…
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**In principle, Gerda Postelmans (Ecolo/Groen) should become the next alderman for culture in Sint-Pieters-Woluwe/Woluwe-Saint-Pierre. However, both Défi and the CDH of mayor Benoît Cerexhe are opposed. Postelmans is too Dutch-speaking for the post.**
Current alderman for culture Raphaël Van Breugel (Ecolo/Groen) recently decided to withdraw from politics. The local Green Party elected Gerda Postelmans as his successor. This Tuesday, the College of Aldermen must confirm the appointment in principle.
However, there appears to be a hitch. Gerda Postelmans, who is described by her local chapter as trilingual (Dutch, French, English) and who has lived in the Brussels region since the 1970s, is considered by various partners from the majority to be too Dutch-speaking.
**Une sensibilité néerlandophone**
For the record: in the municipality, which for a long time was a bastion of the FDF, there is already an alderman for Dutch-speaking affairs (including culture) in Helmut De Vos (CD&V).
“Mrs Postelmans is welcome in the college, but not with these powers,” says mayor Benoît Cerexhe in La Libre. “When it comes to community affairs, I understand the desire to have a French-speaking alderman. Mrs Postelmans may have taken the oath in French, but she has une sensibilité néerlandophone (ed.). Our partners would do better to redistribute the powers.”
Défi, which has long made defending the French speakers its trademark, also takes this line.
In the opposition, Alexia Bertrand (MR) also questions the choice. “I was always in favour of Dutch-speaking aldermen being given more powers than just Dutch-speaking matters,” she says in flawless Dutch. “But with community responsibilities it is more difficult, especially since there is already an alderman for Dutch-speaking culture.”
“It’s not just about language skills, but also about cultural references. We have a large cultural centre where, for example, a lot of French-language music is programmed. How well does she know that French-speaking culture?”
Gerda Postelmans herself and first alderwoman Caroline Lhoir could not be reached for a reaction on Tuesday morning. In La Libre, Lhoir explained that Benoît Cerexhe had known about Postelmans’ nomination for ten days, but had not raised any objections.
Translated with [www.DeepL.com/Translator](http://www.DeepL.com/Translator) (free version)
Shit like this is why people in Flanders might have a negative view about Brussels…
If say N-VA would refuse a person from an immigrant background in some town council for not being Vlaemsch enough, that shit would make headlines for weeks.
There are Flemish speakers in that commune? Would never have guessed.
One has to think how fucked up this country is if politicians decide that somebody is to much influenced by the other side to understand their culture.
LOL yeah francophones still being as discriminatory as ever in de rand & brussel
So basically, you get outraged because an elected municipal councillor is « too Flemish » for a French speaking county. Were you also outraged when elected mayors were « too French » for their Flemish speaking counties?
I expect a shitstorm but yet, this is quite funny…