Philippe Close, Author at

Philippe Close

Philippe Close became the Mayor of Brussels in July 2017 after succeeding the former mayor who stepped down. Mayor Close was officially re-elected in October 2018. He was appointed group leader of the socialist party (PS) in the regional Parliament in 2013, having chaired the Social Affairs Committee as an elected member of Parliament of the Brussels Capital Region since 2009. In order to fully devote himself to his task as mayor, he resigned from both positions. He was previously Alderman for Staff and Tourism, and additionally Finances, following the 2006 and 2012 municipal elections respectively. In 2001 he joined the team of Freddy Thielemans, Mayor of the City of Brussels, as Head of Cabinet, having previously been the spokesperson of former prime minister Elio Di Rupo in 2000. Mayor Close has a law degree from the Université Libre de Bruxelles.

The Green Transition has created inequalities that mirror the inequalities in housing. But the city has a “climate plan” and wants to make Brussels resilient and sustainable – while supporting those that have been “forgotten in the green transition”.