Green light for parliamentary inquiry into Anderlecht social housing scandal
The Brussels Parliament has decided to set up an inquiry committee into alleged malpractice at social housing company Anderlechtse Haard. The committee must present its findings by 21 July. This political compromise has, for the time being, restored calm within the Brussels government.
Two weeks ago, the VRT programme Pano exposed irregularities at Anderlechtse Haard, the municipality’s social housing company. At the centre of the scandal is chair Lotfi Mostefa, of the French-speaking socialist party PS, who is also city councillor responsible for Housing in Anderlecht. Leaked WhatsApp messages appear to show that he personally influenced the allocation of social housing, partly in exchange for votes in the recent local elections.
Last week, the Brussels public prosecutor’s office carried out a search at the company. Mostefa’s home was also searched. The federal police’s Central Anti-Corruption Service announced an investigation. But there were also loud calls within the Brussels majority to launch an inquiry via a parliamentary committee.
Until this weekend, the PS had been threatening a government crisis if an inquiry committee were to be set up. Liberal party Anders warned of a crisis if a committee were not established. As a result, the survival of the Brussels coalition government – which had only come about after 613 days of negotiations – hung in the balance.
Behind the scenes, the majority parties reached a compromise: a short-term inquiry committee, running until the parliamentary summer recess on 21 July. To work so quickly, the committee will meet at least three times a week. The compromise drew criticism from the opposition, which claimed that the committee would have too little time to work thoroughly.
N-VA MP Mathias Vanden Borre argued that it was even worse that, from the original proposal by Anders and MR, which gave the committee six tasks, that one explicit task to investigate the “allegations cited by the press” had been removed. “An absolute disgrace,” said Vanden Borre. “That is the crux of the matter, that is the political outrage, that is what this is all about: that elected representatives are misusing public funds.”
Lotfi Mostefa © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS
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