Will Marie Arena move in in September?

FOREST POLITICS Will Marie Arena move in in September? The rumor of her parachuting in persists; it is confirmed to us by a future "neighbor" The first major moves have begun on the chessboard of the 2006 municipal elections. And for now, it is essentially the "ladies" who are going on the offensive. Thus, on Friday, we announced the arrival of Laurette Onkelinx in Schaerbeek (see opposite). But there is another "lady" whose name regularly appears on the list of "parachutists" ready to take the big leap. This lady is, of course, Marie Arena, whose future duel with Corinne De Permentier is regularly mentioned. The "rumor" circulating since Marie Arena acquired a house on avenue du Kersbeek is (very) persistent. It is spreading in various circles close to the PS, and was confirmed to us by a resident of avenue du Kersbeek who had the opportunity to speak with Marie Arena during a stay in Cannes. What does the local section think, which has undertaken a profound reform to dissipate internal tensions and draw up a list that is "more in tune" with Forest's working-class neighborhoods? Let's return for a moment to this information, which is circulating both in the events industry (close to Carl de Moncharline, initiator of the Roller Parade and Immeubles en fête) and in political circles (close to Elio Di Rupo). At the Cannes Film Festival, a Forest resident, whose garden is located behind that of the house acquired by Marie Arena, met the minister. And approached her. She mentioned the major renovation works underway for several months in the building of the minister-presi- "Our current head of list is clearly Magda De Galan" dent. "Given how the work is progressing, we will soon cross paths in the neighborhood," she remarked. And Marie Arena replied that she would move in in September, because she first had to find a new school for her children. If such information proves true, the Arena/De Permentier duel (4,214 preferential votes in the 2000 municipal elections) becomes more precise. Unfortunately, we were unable to reach the spokesperson for the person concerned. "We have not received any information going one way or the other," comments Rachid Barghouti, a member of the Forest PS section. "Anyway, we continue to move forward and pursue the reform started in the aftermath of the 2000 elections. If we lost them, it was partly because we did not have enough elected officials close to the working-class neighborhoods of Forest and the immigrant population." Gathered in a general assembly on October 3rd, the section members will have to vote on a draft list proposed by a working group composed of 9 members (including Magda De Galan, Francis Résimont, Nadia El Yousfi, Marc-Jean Ghyssels, Paul Lenders – all names that, according to our sources, have a chance of being among the first six candidates on the list). "The call for applications is open until September 10th. And therefore also open to Marie Arena," replies Patrick Denis, president of the section. "But our current head of list is clearly Magda De Galan. If the federation ever wants to impose a leadership on us, I suppose it won't happen without prior contact, and there have been no steps in that direction." But the latter does not deny that the issue is extremely sensitive within the section itself... Photo: Marie Arena is renovating her house. With a view to moving in soon? BLIBERT : in brief Laurette Onkelinx will therefore arrive in Schaerbeek to lead the PS list, thus capitalizing on the results achieved by this party in the 2003 legislative elections and the 2004 regional elections. Remember: the PS then rose to become the leading party in the canton of Schaerbeek. Lacking a leader since Alain Hutchinson's departure to Watermael-Boitsfort, it is therefore logical for the local section to be favorable to such a parachuting. It is also logical that the Socialist Federation thought of properly "staffing" a commune with a promising electoral future. But will Laurette Onkelinx give up her ministry to don the tricolor sash? And what if Emir Kir accompanied her to the city of donkeys? Already considered for a parachuting, he could thus become acting mayor, which would allow Laurette Onkelinx to retain her ministry.