Eeklo Opposition Calls Emergency Council Meeting Over Transgressive Behavior Allegations

Opposition parties in the Flemish municipality of Eeklo have convened an emergency municipal council meeting for September 15 to address allegations of transgressive behavior by the city’s mayor and aldermen, marking the third time opposition leaders have demanded an external audit and a vote of confidence in the city government. The move, confirmed by VRT NWS, signals a deepening political crisis in the East Flanders city of approximately 22,000 residents.

Background: A Year of Escalating Complaints

The crisis traces back to early 2026, when anonymous letters circulated among city staff complaining about toxic leadership and unreasonable demands from the college of mayor and aldermen. Following those complaints, the city commissioned a well-being survey conducted by Securex among its approximately 384 employees. The results, released in June, were damning: 82 percent of the 222 respondents reported experiencing stress at work, 63 percent said they felt unappreciated, and 30 percent described contact with policymakers as poor, citing a breach of trust. The survey also found evidence of discrimination, violence, verbal aggression, and sexually transgressive behavior, with half of all incidents involving the college of mayor and aldermen, as reported by VRT NWS.

Staff Testimonies and the Trust Person’s Letter

In early September, several city employees spoke anonymously to VRT NWS about ongoing intimidation, threats, sexist remarks, and pressure to circumvent rules. One staff member said: “I don’t feel safe when I’m alone in an office with one of them.” Others described a “blacklist” of employees who resist and a culture of fear, as detailed in their testimonies.

The situation escalated further when the city’s confidential counselor, Vera De Clercq, sent an unprecedented open email to all staff, politicians, and council members, directly contradicting Mayor Koen Loete’s public statements that he had received no signals about the problems. In her email, De Clercq wrote: “Mayor, the truth is looking for a chair. It’s up to you to put this chair in the middle,” as reported by VRT NWS. She detailed a timeline showing that the mayor had been informed of concerns as early as February 3, contradicting his repeated denials.

Opposition Demands Accountability

Speaking at the emergency council meeting announcement, Luc Vandevelde of opposition party Durf! stated: “There is no more trust. We want clarity. If even the trust person speaks of lies: the truth must now come out.” Cindy De Waegenaere, an independent N-VA council member, challenged the administration directly: “If they have nothing to hide, why would they oppose an external audit?” Jens De Pauw of Vlaams Belang was equally firm, insisting that anyone guilty of intimidation, threats, or discrimination “must take a hard look at themselves and resign,” as HLN reported.

The opposition is seeking an investigation by Audit Vlaanderen, the halting of the hiring procedure for a new general director, and a new vote of confidence on the entire college of mayor and aldermen. They have also notified the competent Flemish minister and the national chair of CD&V about the situation.

Mayor Denies All Allegations

Mayor Koen Loete (#TEAM9900), who regained the mayoral sash in the 2024 elections after losing it in 2018, categorically denies all allegations. He has said the testimonies don’t match the signals he receives and that he is present at city offices daily. “I can testify every day that staff are treated correctly,” Loete said. He has formally denied claims that staff were asked to circumvent procedures and that a blacklist exists, calling such assertions “in the heads of a few people.”

The mayor’s position has been further complicated by the prolonged absence of the city’s general director, Meike Van Grembergen, who has been out for months due to the toxic work environment. An interim crisis manager was appointed for six months in June, as VRT NWS reported. In early September, posters supporting Van Grembergen appeared in city buildings alongside a letter to council members urging respectful treatment of the director, marking the fourth action around the situation since the start of the year, as documented by VRT NWS.

What’s Next

The emergency municipal council meeting is scheduled for September 15 at 19:30, ahead of the regular council meeting on September 21. With the ruling coalition holding a razor-thin majority of just one seat in the 27-seat council, the opposition’s coordinated pressure could prove decisive. The outcome of the emergency session will determine whether the mayor and his aldermen can survive the mounting calls for accountability, or whether Eeklo’s political leadership faces a fundamental reckoning.