This week we head to Lasne to meet Virginie Hermans-Poncelet, the most recent heir to the mayoralty following the departure of Laurence Rotthier for the Province as the second-best score in the municipality in 2024.
A sportswoman at heart and tireless in her work, she intends to be present on the ground and above all available to her municipality.
Virginie, newly appointed mayor, your journey already goes back to 2018, when you were elected 4th alderwoman. You were previously active in the private sector too. Your enthusiasm stands out. Can you tell us a bit about your journey, both personally and within the liberal family?
I was born and raised in Lasne, a village to which I am deeply attached. It is here that I grew up and later started my own family. This local grounding is at the heart of my commitment.
After my university studies in economics at UCL, I worked in the IT sector. Alongside my professional career, I got involved in community life, particularly in road safety awareness. Naturally sporty, through sport I developed a taste for effort, self-improvement and the importance of teamwork, values that are very useful in my new duties.
My political journey began in 2018, quite directly, as I went from engaged citizen to alderwoman by joining the municipal college. Through my portfolio, I discovered the management of a municipality, particularly through the education portfolio, which was a real school of responsibility, human management and decision-making.
Within the liberal family, I found far more than a political framework: a way of acting that deeply matches who I am. I believe in individual responsibility as much as in collective responsibility, in freedom that comes with commitment, and also in power that only makes sense if it is useful and concrete. The liberalism I defend is a hands-on liberalism: one that encourages initiative and favours pragmatic solutions over ideological ones.
Today, I approach my new duties with enthusiasm, clarity and humility. I have the ambition to do things well, but not the pretension of being able to do everything. I know I can count on my political colleagues and the staff of my administration, who are both dedicated and competent, and whose expertise is invaluable day to day. At this stage, my initial enthusiasm remains intact, even though it now comes with the perspective and cross-cutting vision essential to the role of mayor.
You seem to have many projects for Lasne, and the numerous responsibilities you are taking on will certainly give you the chance to achieve quite a lot: strategic and cross-cutting steering of the municipality, education, youth, communication… Can you tell us about your vision for the future of your municipality?
My vision for Lasne builds on the work already accomplished, while actively preparing for what comes next.
On the spatial level, we must preserve what makes up our identity, such as our living environment, our semi-rural character and our environmental quality, while responding to the challenges of today and tomorrow. This requires rigorous management in a demanding budgetary context. It is in this spirit that our planning tools fit in, notably the Master Plan, which will aim to redefine the centre of Lasne, as well as the Municipal Development Scheme, which will help structure the various centres of the municipality, better organise the functions of the territory and ensure coherent, controlled development.
On the human level, my priority is to strengthen the bond between residents and between generations, so that everyone fully finds their place within our municipality. This means being present on the ground, actively listening, communicating clearly, but also developing a range of activities and leisure opportunities accessible to all, regardless of age, through sport, culture and solidarity actions among others. Local festivities, privileged moments of meeting and sharing, will continue to play an essential role in bringing citizens together and giving our village full life. I also pay particular attention to Education, with a varied, high-quality network of primary schools, continuing to develop cooperation between schools around universal themes for the benefit of children.
Lasne is fortunate to be able to count on a loyal population attached to its privileged living environment. This reality also calls on us to anticipate the future, both by addressing the issue of housing for young people, so they can in turn settle in our municipality, and by paying special attention to our elderly, notably by developing alternatives that support their care and quality of life.
Lasne is a municipality known throughout Belgium, as its appeal to new buyers from Brussels, thanks to its tranquillity and the beauty of its neighbourhoods, no longer needs defending. This particular municipality has many strengths and a dynamic population. How do you see its place within Walloon Brabant?
Lasne holds a special place within Walloon Brabant. Its appeal extends well beyond its borders, notably thanks to the quality of life it offers and its preserved, vibrant environment, as well as its more than 200 km of marked walking trails and paths, which contribute fully to its identity and way of life.
This appeal is a genuine opportunity, but it also entails the responsibility of managing our development to preserve what makes up our identity. The point is not to freeze Lasne in place, but neither to give in to unreasonable development; the challenge is to ensure harmonious change that respects its heritage and its balance.
In addition, we have also chosen a moderate tax policy, among the lowest in Wallonia, while guaranteeing quality services for citizens. It's a demanding balance, but one we strive to maintain, despite the current unstable context.
Lasne must continue to assert its distinctiveness, while fully embracing the dynamics of Walloon Brabant. Current issues, whether mobility, spatial planning or the environment, go beyond municipal boundaries and require close cooperation with neighbouring municipalities. Environmental protection is, in this respect, a strong priority. Lasne was indeed a pioneer, being one of the first municipalities to establish an environmental portfolio, and we are today pursuing an active and concrete policy in this area.
It is within this balance between preservation, controlled development and cooperation that Lasne will continue to fully find its place within Walloon Brabant.