In Belgium, the television crash of the ambitious political leader Georges-Louis Bouchez

“Stick your penis to the bar!” » It was not a young army recruit that this Belgian special forces trainer was addressing during a training session, but a leading politician: Georges-Louis Bouchez, 37, president of the Reform Movement (MR), center right, who participated in the reality TV show “Special Forces: who dares to win” broadcast on 1er May by the Flemish private channel VTM.

What was the leader of one of the kingdom’s major political parties doing there, upside down, clinging painfully to a horizontal bar from which he was finally going to fall? Not to try to glean votes: Flemish voters are subject to compulsory voting, but can only elect officials from their region, therefore not a French speaker.

It was therefore a question, for this Walloon born in Hainaut and steeped in ambition, of establishing one of his projects: to become, one day, the prime minister of the country. With the obligation, for that, to make themselves better known to the Flemings. To this end, he has, among other things, debated with one of the main Flemish nationalist leaders – the former secretary of state for asylum and migration Theo Francken, who describes Wallonia as “a communist island “. This time it’s “the factory of the hero, the symbolism of surpassing oneself” that the young leader was aiming for, summarizes Nicolas Baygert, a teacher in political communication at the Free University of Brussels and at Sciences Po Paris.

Some cowries

Participating, in the Moroccan desert, in grueling military exercises was supposed to consolidate the image of a virile and modern leader, a fan of Twitter, Nicolas Sarkozy and car racing, who recently confided his desire to put himself at the service of his country by also enlisting as a non-commissioned officer in the army. The experience, however, turned to “television suicide” for Georges-Louis Bouchez, according to the Dutch-language daily From Morgan. His colleague From Standard, talking to him of“a man who talks a lot but does little”.

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Unpleasant remarks, swept away by the interested party but which reflect the even less friendly comments of the instructors. “Boulet”, “lack of involvement”, “no team spirit”, they judged after a first day, where the Liberal official struggled to carry jerry cans, push a car or keep up with his teammates. Starred cook, singer, judoka, renowned basketball player… the Flemish participants, for some, indulged in a few nasty things against the only “known” Walloon in the adventure, accused of not letting go of his mobile phone or of have his bag carried by one of his collaborators.

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