Brecht's Former Mayor Luc Aerts Retires After 30 Years in Politics

After three decades in public service, former Brecht mayor Luc Aerts has bid farewell to active politics. His final municipal council meeting marked the end of a significant career, during which he also served as mayor for 12 years. Aerts, who is 67, stated that it was an emotional moment but that he is ready to turn this page of his life, looking back with satisfaction on his accomplishments.

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It is an emotional moment, but well, I am 67 now and have decided to turn that page of my life. I will look back on the past with great pleasure and am satisfied with what I have been able to achieve.

Aerts' political journey began in 1996 with the local CVP party. He joined the municipal council in 2000 and, after six years in opposition, became mayor. He served two terms in that role before becoming alderman for Social Affairs and chair of the Special Committee for Social Services in the current term. He will officially step down from the latter position on July 1.

Tatiana Vandekeere, 39, will succeed Aerts. Reflecting on his career, Aerts expressed contentment, emphasizing that his achievements were the result of teamwork. He particularly values the concrete help he provided to many individuals facing daily problems. His successor, Vandekeere, is also affiliated with the nu2960 political group.

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I will try to spend more time with my family and grandchildren. In November, we are expecting our 4th grandchild. And for the rest, I will try to spend a lot of time in Italy, in Tuscany.

Looking ahead, Aerts intends to dedicate more time to his family, including his grandchildren, with a fourth grandchild expected in November. A significant portion of his retirement will be spent in Tuscany, Italy, a country he feels a deep connection to. He also plans to write about various aspects of Italy, focusing on specific cultural and political topics rather than common subjects like pizza.

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About Italian politics, and about all sorts of things. Not about pizzas, no, everyone does that already, but about specific Italian subjects that you don't have the slightest clue about.