Belgium (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): Julie Taton, a Federal MP, wanted to run in local elections in Mons but was rejected because of address verification problems. The court agreed with the city’s decision, saying it was fair.
Taton got elected as a Federal MP in June with over 23,000 votes. Now, she’s aiming for a spot in the local elections as the second candidate on MR’s Mons en Mieux list, led by Georges-Louis Bouchez. Julie Taton, a general former Miss Belgium and TV personality, was expected to attract more votes for the Mons en Mieux list to help win the mayor’s position from the PS party. To achieve this, Taton had to move from her hometown to Mons. She tried to switch her address to an apartment owned by Bouchez in Mons, but she couldn’t because she wasn’t there when the police came to verify.
Did Julie Taton’s Residency Issue Affect Candidacy?
Bouchez said, “The police only came when Julie was on vacation” and mentioned, “Changing your address doesn’t mean you can’t leave your house.” They went to court in Mons and said that the PS-Ecolo city administration, led by PS mayor Nicolas Martin, broke some rules in dealing with the situation. “The city didn’t follow its rules and some basic legal principles.” The court said the city didn’t randomly decide not to include Julie Taton on the voter list; it was based on their investigation.
The court said the PS-Ecolo group in Mons didn’t use the police investigation. This means it’s unclear that Taton would have been treated differently from others in the same situation, as her lawyers claimed. The mayor of Mons, Nicolas Martin, said the court’s decision proves he gets fair treatment too. He mentioned that the court recognized the good work and fairness of the Mons authorities and services, ending the MR’s negative campaign.
