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Opposition in Mechelen calls for investigation into mayoral staff member's salary

The opposition in Mechelen has strongly criticized the salary of a personal staff member of Mayor Bart Somers.

23 August 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Opposition in Mechelen calls for investigation into mayoral staff member's salary — Archive photoPhoto: kazamel · Flickr · BY

The opposition in Mechelen has responded to the controversy surrounding the salary of a personal staff member of Mayor Bart Somers. The N-VA and CD&V parties have called for a further investigation into this matter. Meanwhile, Vlaams Belang has demanded Somers' resignation, describing the situation as an alarming erosion of standards.

PVDA has characterized the situation as an example of a 'self-serving culture'. The opposition parties have made it clear that they want more clarity regarding the salary and the conditions under which it was determined.

The criticism also includes questions about Bart Somers' functioning as mayor. The opposition has labeled the incident as yet another issue in a series of problems surrounding the mayor.

According to the various parties, it is crucial that an independent investigation is conducted. This indicates that there are doubts about the legal validity of the salary granted to the staff member.

The matter will be addressed during the next municipal council meeting in Mechelen, scheduled for September. The opposition expects that this meeting will shed light on the current situation.

Should legal shortcomings come to light, the opposition parties suggest that Somers may need to resign, which could imply his potential stepping down.

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