Four in ten municipal representatives in Wallonia plan to resign due to high stress, a feeling that nothing is changing, or the amount of responsibility being too much to bear, according to a new survey conducted by Le Soir.
Of the 483 mayors, aldermen, and CPAS presidents who responded to the newspaper’s survey, 61% said that they planned to run again. However, 22% stated that they will end their mandate with the elections next year, while 17% indicated they plan to resign from politics before then.
When asked about their reasons for not seeking re-election, local officials cited a poor balance between work and private life, the poor view of politicians in the public eye, or a heavy workload. 33% of mayors say that the criminal and civil liability of their role is a heavy burden to bear.
Local officials are generally satisfied with their pay, with just 16% stating that it was too low.
