Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Mayor Mathias De Clercq (Voor Gent) will be on medical leave until September 11, 2025, following budget negotiations; the council will meet on September 2, 2025, and unions plan actions.
As VRT News reported, Mayor Mathias De Clercq of Ghent, representing the Voor Gent party, will not return to his official duties until September 11, 2025, his team confirmed. The officials note that all the important municipal services are operating while the mayor is on medical leave.
The city council is scheduled to meet on September 2, 2025, as unions plan new actions to press their demands. Mayor Mathias De Clercq will remain absent, continuing his leave from official duties.
What will happen during Mayor De Clercq’s extended leave?
According to the mayor, his medical team has recommended an additional period of rest. Officials insist that the mayor’s health is still the priority as the city continues to operate in his absence.
The Ghent Mayor took a temporary leave in late June 2025 after intense budget talks. The negotiations focused on achieving €120 million in annual savings. During the meeting, De Clercq felt unwell and had to be hospitalised for observation. He was allowed to return home, but doctors advised him not to resume work immediately.
Mayor Mathias De Clercq, who has been serving as the city’s mayor since 2013, has been on medical leave, scheduled to return at the end of August 2025, but his recovery period has been extended. The mayor’s team is reportedly discussing a further extension of his leave on doctors’ advice, aiming to ensure a full recovery before he resumes his official duties.
