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.
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.