A referendum is scheduled to take place on 23 March in Bettendorf to decide whether to put an end to the merger negotiations and organise another referendum in 2027 to ask for citizens’ opinions.
During the evening session, members from the municipal council did not hold back on criticism addressed to other Nordstad municipalities.
In a Facebook post regarding the referendum on 23 March, the municipality of Bettendorf had invited people to an information evening. In the well-attended Centre Polyvalent in Gilsdref, the municipal council started the evening off by discussing, for over an hour, the current legislative period. They addressed larger infrastructure projects, but also a bike-washing station, the prices of “Meals on Wheels”, to name but a few examples.
The council had surprisingly little to say about the referendum, the main interest of Bettendorf’s residents. However, the two MPs, Andy Derneden and Lucien Kurtisi, explained why they had voted against continuing the Nordstad negotiations. Among other reproaches, they flagged that Bettendorf had been treated unfairly in the past, for instance by being excluded from working groups.
“We were excluded from these working groups from the start...”, asserted MP Andy Derneden. “However, at that time, Bettendorf had submitted two important projects for a potential Nordstad merger”.
His colleague Lucien Kurtisi added that their exclusion from the working groups was proof of systematic oversight throughout the merger project. They felt that they “were on the outskirts, not only geographically but also politically”. MP Kurtisi concluded that “our citizens, our needs, our voice didn’t have the same relevance.”
The citizens were permitted to ask questions and contribute to the discussions afterwards. A former alderman and member of the citizens’ initiative advocating the referendum asked whether the commune would continue talks if the referendum revealed a majority of votes in favour of the merger. When asked if they would prioritise their personal opinions over that of the population, no clear answer was given.
The mayor Patrick Mergen himself did not comment on the question. The MPs Derneden and Kurtisi claimed they would wait for the final result before making a decision. A few attendees interpreted the unclear answer to this crucial question as a symbol of neglect of their opinion.
It’s not mandatory to respect the result of the referendum, but rather an advisory survey carried out by the commune. In the municipal council, four advisers voted for, and seven against, continuing further merger negotiations.
The supporters of the merger include Albert Back, Simone Hoffmann, Patrick Mergen and Suzette Serres. Andy Derneden, Fabienne Goergen, Yves Kremer, Jill Kugener, Lucien Kurtisi, Frank Schuler and José Vaz do Rio positioned themselves against their fellow deputies. The vote had to be held twice, since the first had been a secret ballot, which was not in accordance with the law.
Ultimately, it is a case to be continued, and it remains to be seen whether the representatives of the other Nordstad municipalities will react to the criticism from Bettendorf. Behind-the-scenes rumours are speculating that they did not take it well.
