Virton’s 1977 merger faced local resistance
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
In Virton, Belgium, Elie Deworme, a former minister, recounted the challenges of merging communes in 1977.
Fifty years ago, Joseph Michel, a minister with the PSC party, initiated a plan to reduce the number of Belgian communes to create stronger financial entities. Michel envisioned a larger Virton encompassing several villages, but anticipated political backlash from incorporating socialist-leaning areas.
While the PSC narrowly held local power after the 1976 elections, they lost control in 1982 to a coalition of socialists, liberals, and ecologists, a result Michel predicted. Deworme, observing from the socialist opposition, acknowledged Michel’s strategy of consolidating Catholic voters, but also noted the inherent political risks. The strongest resistance to the merger came from Saint-Mard, a town with a distinct working-class and railway heritage.
Residents displayed banners proclaiming “Saint-Mardois toujours” and initially preferred merging southwards instead of with Virton, a proposal the government rejected. Deworme, a former mayor of Ethe-Belmont, believed the mergers weakened local connections and failed to deliver promised budget savings, citing increased costs due to persistent local rivalries and the desire for each former commune to maintain its own facilities. He remains skeptical of further mergers today.
