After 17 years serving his municipality as a municipal councillor and 1st alderman during the last term, Olivier recently became Mayor of the municipality of Habay, located in the province of Luxembourg.
On the edge of the Anlier Forest, amid a succession of ponds and castles, the municipality of Habay is made up of ten villages, eight of which are part of the Gaume, one is in the Ardennes and the last one is in the Arlon region.
A liberal municipality since 2018, let's get to know its new Mayor, Olivier, a little better.
Why did you get into politics in the first place? What were your motivations and have they changed since?
Honestly, it started very early. At 16, I was already secretary of the village youth club, and at 18, I took over the chairmanship of the Tourist Office, with the added bonus of managing the campsite! I've always been deeply involved in community life, and, without really realising it, that's a first step into local politics. I was also treasurer of the JMR for a few years.
My motivations? Simple: get involved for my municipality, making it more pleasant and welcoming for everyone. That hasn't changed, even if today I have a bit more experience and a broader vision of what needs to be done. But the idea remains the same: act for the good of my municipality!
How are relations within the Council, the College and with the administration?
I'm a man of dialogue, so things go well with everyone: the Council, the College and the administration. I'm not a fan of the majority/opposition game, it doesn't interest me. What matters to me is building together. Good ideas can come from anywhere, so we may as well make the most of them.
It's the same with the administration, whether it's administrative staff or workers. They often have relevant ideas, and I always make sure to listen to them and take their comments into account. In short, I work as a team!
One of the important issues of the next term will be the construction of the new Vivalia hospital in Houdemont. With everything that entails, it will be a very significant challenge for Habay. How do you approach this issue?
Clearly, the new Vivalia hospital here is a huge challenge. Coordination with Vivalia falls under my responsibilities, so I'll be at the heart of the project. It will have an impact on quite a few things: mobility, urban development, water distribution, and more.
But it's also an opportunity for Habay. We'll do everything we can to ensure this hospital fits perfectly into the municipality and brings benefits to everyone. In short, a big challenge, but also a great opportunity!
The Carnaval de la Marquise is often the last carnival of the season in Belgium. This year it will take place at the end of April. Can you tell us more about your local folklore?
Yes, that's right, our Carnaval de la Marquise is somewhat the finale of the season in Belgium, and we're proud of it! But that's not all: we also have our three giants, Margot du Biseux, Guillaume le Maka and Désiré du Bois des Isles, who tell the story of the municipality. In 2008, we even took them all the way to Quebec, a wonderful moment of recognition for our folklore.
But what's even nicer is that last year, thanks to the participatory budget, pupils from the primary schools in our villages created six little giants to accompany the big ones. By taking part in building them, these children directly contributed to our heritage, which is a wonderful way of passing on our traditions to future generations. With them, our folklore is in good hands!