This week we head to Lens in Hainaut to meet mayor Isabelle Galant.
Besides running her small rural municipality, Isabelle will once again be in the federal fight, on the list led by Georges-Louis Bouchez.
Isabelle, you're mayor of Lens, how do you experience that?
I experience it very positively. This role allows me to be close to people, and that's what I enjoy.
I'm very present and available for citizens. Still, the one downside today is social media. Some refuse any dialogue with elected officials and prefer disinformation on social media. I can understand the ‘blues’ some elected officials feel.
If you had to pick one flagship project from your time as mayor, which would it be?
It's about the creation of a nursery. Our municipality's population is growing every year, and it's mainly young households that are settling in our villages. The difficulty they face here is the lack of childcare places for children aged 0 to 2.5. Our nursery project was selected under the Plan Cigogne scheme, and today the project is on track and will be completed during the first quarter of 2026.
Is being Jacqueline's sister an advantage or a drawback?
I'd say both. An advantage, because it's easier to launch cross-municipal projects with the neighbouring town when the mayor there is your sister. A drawback, because people often compare me to her, even though we're two quite different personalities.
You've already served in the federal Parliament and are running again at that level of government: what motivates you?
At the local level, we need links to the other levels of government. Various matters are managed at federal level, and among them security remains a very worrying issue.
Police and fire services are now organised into zones, and municipal contributions keep rising, while services to the public are no longer being delivered. A thorough reflection on the future of these zones and their funding at federal level is essential.
Finally, if our readers want to visit Lens, what would you recommend?
Come and discover the village of Lens, located between Mons and Ath. Various countryside walking routes through fields and hidden lanes let you discover the charm and history of our villages. Amid cultural and artistic heritage, as you wander the paths and alleys, you'll walk in the footsteps of the past.