Walloon Municipal Mergers: Charleroi Mayor and Economist Push for Urban-Centric Reform

Walloon municipalities may voluntarily merge with financial incentives, but critics argue this approach is flawed. Charleroi's mayor and an economist propose alternative reforms, including larger urban areas absorbing suburbs and rethinking local powers before any forced mergers. Thomas Dermine, Charleroi's mayor, argues the only meaningful fusion is large cities absorbing their periphery, citing Antwerp as an example. He advocates for supracommunal cooperation across basins of life, like Charleroi Métropole, to mutualize services such as CPAS, culture, and housing, rather than blanket mergers. Economist Philippe Defeyt insists on rethinking local governance first, suggesting transferring communal education to Wallonia-Brussels and regionalizing communal taxation with fair redistribution. He criticizes the Walloon government for prioritizing administrative issues, while Minister François Desquesnes warns mergers may become a 2029 campaign issue, potentially leading to imposed fusions.