🏛️ Molenbeek-Saint-Jean — Governance

Sint-Jans-Molenbeek · Code: 1080

👑 Bourgmestre

Catherine Moureaux PS

In office since 2018

🔑 Paul Magnette PS 🟡 Charleroi (Wallonia)
⚡ Can collapse coalition

👑 Catherine Moureaux — Bourgmestre (since 2018)

🤝 Coalition

PS-Vooruit + PTB-PVDA

🏛️ Collège / College

Detailed college composition coming soon. Check the official commune website.

📋 Council Members

45 seats

Full list of council members with party affiliations coming soon.

View on official website →

🔑 Who really controls Molenbeek-Saint-Jean?

The governing coalition's party presidents — the people who set the political line.

⚡ = can collapse the coalition by pulling out · ⚠️ = significant coalition leverage · 🟢 Brussels · 🟡 Wallonia · 🔴 Flanders

Party	President	Lives in	Region	Main electorate
PS	Paul Magnette	Charleroi	🟡 Wallonia	Wallonia + Brussels
Vooruit	Conner Rousseau	Sint-Niklaas	🔴 Flanders	Entirely Flanders
PTB	Raoul Hedebouw Président du PTB-PVDA	Liège area	🟡 Wallonia	All regions (unitary party)
PVDA	Raoul Hedebouw Président du PTB-PVDA	Liège area	🟡 Wallonia	All regions (unitary party, NL section)

🔍 Who really decides?

4 out of 4 governing party presidents (100%) don't live in Brussels.

Their main electorate is in Wallonia and Flanders. Brussels policy is shaped by party discipline — and the party leaders call the shots from outside the region.

🟢 Lives in Brussels · 🟡 Lives in Wallonia · 🔴 Lives in Flanders

⚖️ Veto Power Analysis

In Belgium's particracy, a party president can:

Pull the party out of the coalition → coalition collapses if majority is lost
Impose voting discipline → all party members must follow the party line
Veto nominations → party decides who gets appointed, not the elected officials

At commune level, the bourgmestre needs a majority in the council. If a coalition partner withdraws, new elections or a new coalition must be formed.