Petra De Sutter is the first elder in Horebeke

For the municipal elections in October, Groen joined N-VA, CD&V and independents on the Nieuw Horebeke cartel list. The list won 7 of the 11 seats so they will be able to govern the city with an absolute majority in the coming years.

List leader Tom Simaeys is the new mayor and takes on the additional powers of culture, population and civil status, and the police and fire brigade. In the 2018 local elections, Petra De Sutter was party leader for Groen in Horebeke. She was also elected and became a town councillor, but resigned a year later when she became deputy prime minister in De Croo’s government.

Deputy Prime Minister Petra De Sutter will now step down as first councilor and will be responsible for finance, local economy, tourism, cycling and mobility infrastructure, heritage and animal welfare.

Florian Vandewalle will be the second elder and is responsible for public works, spatial planning, climate, environment, youth and waste policy. Katelijn Moerman will be responsible for social housing, employment, cemeteries, agriculture, ICT and elderly policy.

The outgoing mayor of Horebeek Cynthia Browaeys (People’s Interests) was no longer a candidate in the municipal elections. Her father Jozef was previously the mayor of the smallest town in East Flanders for 54 years.