04.06.2026 15:40
The extraordinary audit mechanism, which has not been used in Belgium since 1976, was activated for the Saint-Josse municipality in Brussels. Due to a budget deficit of 30 million euros and administrative irregularities, a 'strengthened supervision' (trustee) was appointed to the municipality, which is chaired by Turkish-origin politician Emir Kır.
Belgian local government history is witnessing one of the rarest applications of the last 50 years. The Brussels Regional Government has intervened in the municipality of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, which is struggling with financial and administrative crises, initiating a special audit mechanism called "reinforced supervision."
30 MILLION EURO DEFICIT
The decision, taken on the proposal of Ahmed Laaouej, the Brussels Regional Minister responsible for local governments, is based on serious concerns about the municipality's financial situation and Article 18 of the legislation dated May 14, 1998. The main problems reflected in the reports prepared by the regional administration are as follows:
- The municipal budget deficit exceeding 30 million euros.
- Systematic overstatement of revenues.
- Budget and financial accounts not published since 2023.
- Lack of an effective internal audit mechanism and a permanent municipal treasurer for a long time.
Although Mayor Emir Kır argues that the financial situation is under control and necessary measures have been taken, the Brussels Regional Government deemed this defense insufficient and ruled that there are structural management problems in the municipality.
WHO IS EMİR KIR?
Emir Kır (1968, Charleroi), the child of a miner family who migrated to Belgium from Emirdağ district of Afyonkarahisar in the 1960s, was elected Mayor of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode in the 2012 local elections. With this victory, he made history as both the first mayor of Turkish origin in French-speaking Belgium and the first foreign-origin mayor of the Brussels Region. Expelled from the Socialist Party (PS) in 2020 over allegations of links with far-right circles, Kır continued his duties as an independent.
A STRONG TRUMP CARD FOR THE FAR RIGHT
This development, which has caused an earthquake in Belgian politics, goes beyond being merely a financial audit and also has political consequences for Europe as a whole. The fact that Kır, one of the most visible political figures of the Turkish community in Belgium, comes to the fore with such a picture has created a new argument for the center-right and far-right parties already on the rise in Europe.
It is almost certain that the right-wing parties, which place anti-immigration and anti-integration rhetoric at their core, will use this "bad governance" example as a strong trump card to support their own political theses in upcoming election campaigns. The new audit reports to be prepared will determine not only the fate of the municipality but also the course of image debates concerning immigrant politicians in Europe.