hiː wʌz ɐpˈɔɪntᵻd mˈeɪɚɹ ʌv ɡˈɛnt ˈæftɚ ðə dʒˈɜːmən ɪnvˈeɪʒən, ɔːlðˈoʊ hiː kəntˈɪnjuːd tʊ əpˈoʊz plˈænz tʊ ɪŋkˈoːɹpɚɹˌeɪt flˈændɚz ˌɪntʊ nˈɑːtsi dʒˈɜːməni, ˈɑːɹɡjuːɪŋ ɪnstˈɛd fɚɹə kˈɑːmənwˌɛlθ.
He was appointed Mayor of Ghent after the German invasion, although he continued to oppose plans to incorporate Flanders into Nazi Germany, arguing instead for a commonwealth.